Las Vegas Sun

June 3, 2012

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Firefighter accused in assault on unpaid leave

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Wednesday, June 3, 2009 | 11:09 a.m.

Click to enlarge photo

Johnnie Williams

A Clark County firefighter is on administrative leave without pay after he was accused of battery against another man after a basketball game.

Johnnie Williams, 45, is alleged to have started a fight with a 19-year-old man, Satcha Hooten, after a basketball game at a Summerlin 24-Hour Fitness gym in April.

After Hooten missed a two-point shot near the end of the game, Metro Police said, Williams mocked him and Hooten replied with profanities. As Hooten sat on the floor with his cell phone, Williams either kicked or kneed him in the face, police said.

A videotape at the gym confirmed Hooten's story and police arrested Williams for battery, police said. Hooten did not retaliate, according to authorities who watched the videotape.

The attack broke bones around Hooten's eyes and he suffers pain, the police report said.

Williams is out of jail on bail and will remain on unpaid administrative leave from his firefighting post at Station 13, McCarran International Airport, said Scott Allison, a spokesman for the Clark County Fire Department.

Williams was off duty at the time of the incident. He has been with the Clark County Fire Department since 1999.

If Williams is charged with a felony, he will face the justice system, Allison said. If he is charged with a misdemeanor, he will face disciplinary action by fire administrators.

"We do have a code of conduct we expect our people to adhere to, on and off duty," Allison said.

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