WESLEY CHAPEL — Pasco County Fire Chief Anthony Perez abruptly resigned in September 2024, just over a year after taking the job.
At the time, he gave no public explanation. Now, he’s breaking his silence — through a lawsuit.
On March 5, Perez filed a lawsuit against Pasco County, claiming he was forced out after exposing a data breach and reporting numerous violations within the fire department, including the mishandling of a racial misconduct complaint.
According to the lawsuit, he was given an ultimatum: resign or be fired.
Perez, a Wesley Chapel resident, alleges he was the target of retaliation under the Florida Whistleblower Act after uncovering a series of troubling issues. His lawsuit specifically names Human Resources Director Barbara Hitzman and her assistant, Alma Gonzalez, among others responsible for the alleged retaliation.
The 26-year veteran of Pasco and Tampa Fire Rescue was hired in July 2023 following a nationwide search.
He says in the court filing that he was tasked with addressing the “toxic culture and organizational deficiencies within the Fire Department” and given the authority to restructure his team.
Two months into the job, he dismissed four chiefs — except, he claims, county officials blocked him from terminating one of them, a decision that was “reinforced” by Assistant County Administrator JJ Murphy and Assistant Chief Ryan Guynn, who is now the fire chief.
The employee, according to the lawsuit, later became central to a series of...
Namibia's government refutes viral social media rumors about deporting over 500 Americans, affirming strong U.S. relations and no such orders issued. Namibia Denies Viral Claim of Deporting Over 5...