Orange County

’I clearly made some mistakes,’ says fired Orange County battalion chief in newly released interviews

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Nine hours of newly released interview tapes give an inside look at the investigation into sexual harassment claims inside the Orange County Fire Rescue Department.

Now-fired battalion chief David Hollenbach talked to investigators for more than three hours. The county said he was fired for “multiple violations of willful misconduct,” including refusing to immediately hand over information that could have helped in the sexual harassment investigation.

The county investigation is still in progress.

READ: Sexual harassment, threesome in ambulance under investigation at Orange County Fire Rescue

Records show Hollerbach got in trouble for not reporting his relationship with a rookie firefighter immediately, in accordance with policy, and for also failing to report she may be a victim of sexual harassment.

“I clearly made some mistakes,” Hollerbach said in the tapes.

Cierra Putman

Cierra Putman, WFTV.com

Cierra Putman flew south to join Eyewitness News in July 2016.

Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.