Charge dropped against firefighter responding to Joplin tornado

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) - The Jasper County prosecutor has dropped a charge against a Kansas firefighter accused of stealing from a store after the May 22 tornado.

Prosecutor Dean Dankelson told The Joplin Globe (http://bit.ly/vt5urg ) he has dropped a misdemeanor stealing charge against 25-year-old Matthew Page. Page was dismissed in June from the Baxter Springs, Kan., fire department for alleged misconduct while responding to the tornado. Dankelson had alleged that Page took items from Joplin's Home Depot store.

Dankelson said he dismissed the charge against Page so Page could also be prosecuted in municipal court with another former firefighter, who has a similar charge pending in the city court.

City Prosecutor Tricia Gould said Wednesday she hasn't seen the case against Page and did not know if the city would charge him.

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Information from: The Joplin Globe, http://www.joplinglobe.com