CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — A Clay County firefighter and paramedic has resigned after the fire department opened an investigation into an X-rated selfie of him posted online.
A source sent the photo exclusively to Action News Jax.
Clay County Fire Chief Lorin Mock said Lt. Anthony Myrick was on administrative leave while the Department of Public Safety investigated.
Hours after Action News Jax broke news of the photo and investigation, Myrick resigned.
Mock confirmed the picture was taken in the bathroom inside Station 20 in Green Cove Springs.
Story: Woman says Clay County firefighter in X-rated selfie made unwanted advances toward her
“I have two kids. My kids look up to people like that,” said Clay County mother Regina Howell.
A woman shared the explicit photo on a Clay County Fire Facebook page that’s now been taken down.
That woman posted that Myrick was on duty and in uniform when he sent her the photo on a dating website. The fire chief confirms that Myrick was on duty when the photo was taken.
“I own a small business. If somebody did something like that in a T-shirt with my name on it, I’d fire them on the spot,” said Clay County business owner Josh Murray. “People who work for the fire department, we look up to as kind of pillars of the community.”
Action News Jax went to Myrick’s house, text messaged him and called him to get his side of the story. Myrick has not responded.
Myrick worked for the Fire Department for 11 years.
Action News Jax uncovered a history of misconduct in Myrick’s disciplinary record.
Myrick was given a written reprimand in 2010 after “inappropriate and unprofessional behavior” while he gave H1N1 vaccines at various local schools.
Action News Jax has asked Mock and Clay County’s human resources director for details and they said they are looking for documentation about the incident.
In 2011, the county found him guilty of incompetence, insubordination, neglect of duty and moral turpitude.
The documentation said he improperly treated two patients during medical emergencies and then falsified reports about it.
Myrick was required to recomplete his full medical clearance process. He was also demoted and made ineligible for promotion for two years.
Howell isn’t the first Clay County firefighter to get in trouble in the past year.
Firefighter James Padgett resigned in March after he was arrested on suspicion of selling heroin.
Firefighters Joseph Lancaster and Aubrey Raisor resigned after having sex in a firehouse while on duty.
Chief Raleigh Zike was investigated for using his lights and sirens to stop a school bus and accusing a student of flashing his wife.
“That just makes Clay County look like crap," said Howell.
Trending on ActionNewsJax.com:
- Woman says Clay County firefighter in X-rated selfie made unwanted advances toward her
- Mother confessed in smothering death of 4-day-old infant, deputies say
- YouTube video shows Mercedes swerving, nearly driving off Jacksonville Bridge
- Family said they complained for months about children living in filthy Jacksonville home