Titusville mayor expresses confidence in acting police chief after dismissal of previous chief following crash

TITUSVILLE, Fla. - The Mayor of Titusville is trying to ensure a smooth transition within leadership at the Titusville Police Department after the now fired chief was let go for refusing a drug test following a rollover car crash. 

The mayor says if the community has concerns, they need to reach out to the Florida Highway Patrol since they are leading the investigation into the alleged incident.

The backstory:

Titusville's police chief was fired after crashing a city-owned vehicle and refusing to take a drug test required under city policy, officials said.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX LOCAL APP

The chief's city-issued vehicle overturned in a crash last week. Officers at the scene reported finding what appeared to be alcohol inside the vehicle. After the chief declined to undergo a drug test, the city manager terminated his employment, citing a policy requiring testing following crashes involving city-owned vehicles.

Mayor Andrew Connors said the city followed its policies and treated the chief the same as any other employee. He expressed confidence in Acting Police Chief Tyler "TJ" Wright to lead the department and said residents with questions about the crash investigation should direct them to the FHP, which is handling the case.

SIGN-UP FOR FOX 35'S BREAKING NEWS, DAILY NEWS NEWSLETTERS

Titusville police turned the investigation over to the Florida Highway Patrol after determining the crash involved their chief, though officers documented the scene and collected evidence before troopers arrived.

As of the report, the Florida Highway Patrol had not announced whether the former chief would face civil citations or other enforcement action.