GLOVERSVILLE – An emergency medical technician for the Ambulance Service of Fulton County who also works as a city firefighter groped two women in separate incidents while they were being treated in an ambulance, city police said.
Donald E. Frye, 44, was charged Wednesday with two counts of forcible touching, a misdemeanor, police said.
On Jan. 17, a female reported she was touched in a sexual manner and police began an investigation, police said.
The female alleged an EMT touched her breasts and other intimate areas of her body for no reason while she was in the back of an Ambulance Service of Fulton County ambulance. She told police the ambulance was on its way to Nathan Littauer Hospital. Police said they determined the EMT was Frye.
This was the second reported incident to city police involving Frye touching a female patient in a sexual manner in the back of an ambulance, police said. The first reported incident occurred March 8, 2011, police said.
After receiving the second report, police reopened the first case, resulting in police filing two counts against Frye, police said.
Police Capt. John Sira said the facts in the first case weren’t substantial enough to warrant charges in 2011.
“There were a couple of conflicting discrepancies, but after another incident took place with a lot of similarities, it lent more credibility to everyone’s position,” Sira said.
During the investigation, police said, they learned about another reported similar incident involving Frye in February outside the city.
Police said the incident involved a complaint to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff’s officials could not be reached for comment.
Frye was arraigned on the Gloversville charges in City Court on Wednesday and released without bail, according to City Court.
City police are asking people who may have information about any other similar incidents to call the Detective Division at 773-4502.
Mark Hime, the assistant manager of the Ambulance Service of Fulton County, declined to comment about Frye’s current status with the service.
City Fire Chief Beth Whitman-Putnam declined to comment today on Frye’s status with the Fire Department or whether her department received any complaints about Frye.
Levi Pascher covers Gloversville news. He can be reached by email at [email protected].
