KALAMAZOO TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A former fire chief filed a lawsuit against Kalamazoo Township over what he said was false allegations and wrongful termination.
The lawsuit was filed Thursday in U.S. Western District Court of Michigan on behalf of David Obreiter, former Kalamazoo Township fire chief, and listing the township Board of Trustees and Township Manager Dexter Mitchell as defendants.
"[Obreiter] was falsely accused, and ultimately terminated, for failure to investigate employee claims of workplace harassment," the lawsuit states.
Obreiter claims in the suit that he wasn't given the opportunity to defend himself, calling the investigation a "sham."
He's seeking $75,000 in damages for lost wages and emotional distress, according to the lawsuit. Obreiter also wants the township to reverse his firing and reinstate him with full backpay.
Obreiter was abruptly fired Sept. 14, 2022, along with battalion chief Matt Mulac, over complaints that were first filed in 2019 claiming racism, harassment, and a toxic work environment at the township's Eastwood fire station.
The first written complaint was reported in Dec. 4, 2019 by an 18-year-old woman who'd been hired as an on-call firefighter in April of that year, according to Kalamazoo Township's investigative documents.
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