CLEARWATER, Fla. — A Florida man was arrested and placed on administrative leave at his job after sneaking past police to film the scene of a fatal plane crash in Clearwater on Thursday.
Officials said that at around 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Joseph Schifano, a 66-year-old man from St. Petersburg, tried to get past yellow tape marked "police line do not cross" at the intersection of Sumo Drive and Nagano Drive before an officer stopped him.
Schifano claimed he was medical staff but could not provide proof of employment to the officer.
Soon after, Schifano was seen crossing under the police tape and into the crime scene at the intersection of Nagano Drive and Rice Paddy Drive.
Schifano said he was "just nosey," according to an affidavit from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.
Police warned him to stay out of the crime scene and was told to "move along," the affidavit said.
A short time later, Schifano tried to avoid being seen by authorities before quickly walking underneath the yellow tape and into the crime scene.
An officer then made contact with Schifano as he was an "entire house length into the crime scene," taking a video of the crash on his phone.
After being read his Miranda rights, Schifano told law enforcement he knew he was wrong and apologized. He also said he was trying to capture a video for a media company in an attempt to make money.
Schifano is currently employed as a part-time paramedic at Sunstar Paramedics. He has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the ambulance service's investigation.
"We are deeply disappointed in Mr. Schifano’s actions and inability to follow law enforcement commands," said Sunstar Paramedics COO Richard Schomp in a statement. "Mr. Schifano's actions do not represent the hard work and dedication of the paramedics and EMTs at Sunstar Paramedics."
Schifano was also off duty and not acting in an official capacity as a Sunstar paramedic, according to Schomp.
He has been charged with resisting an officer without violence.
