FROM:
Amy Cornell, Public Information Officer CONTACT PERSON:
Amy Cornell, Public Information Officer
(408) 792-2997 For release on April 6, 2009 FORMER CITY OF PALO ALTO FIREFIGHTER PLEADS NO CONTEST TO INSURANCE FRAUD Former firefighter Tanya August pled no contest last week to one count of making a false or fraudulent material statement regarding her employment, for the purpose of obtaining compensation. 39-year old August was employed as a firefighter for the City of Palo Alto from September 1996 to December 2007. In December 2006, she alleged an injury to her lower back as she was lifting a patient onto a gurney. August was diagnosed with lumbar strain. Her workers’ compensation claim was accepted, and she received her full salary from December 2006 to December 2007. August told her employer she was physically unable to perform even light duty work for the City of Palo Alto. She did, however, accept employment at a shop that was owned by another City of Palo Alto firefighter. In her deposition, she had denied any employment. August was ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution to the City of Palo Alto. She is scheduled to be in court on April 27th, 2009 and could face a maximum possible sentence of four years in prison. ###
Amy Cornell, Public Information Officer CONTACT PERSON:
Amy Cornell, Public Information Officer
(408) 792-2997 For release on April 6, 2009 FORMER CITY OF PALO ALTO FIREFIGHTER PLEADS NO CONTEST TO INSURANCE FRAUD Former firefighter Tanya August pled no contest last week to one count of making a false or fraudulent material statement regarding her employment, for the purpose of obtaining compensation. 39-year old August was employed as a firefighter for the City of Palo Alto from September 1996 to December 2007. In December 2006, she alleged an injury to her lower back as she was lifting a patient onto a gurney. August was diagnosed with lumbar strain. Her workers’ compensation claim was accepted, and she received her full salary from December 2006 to December 2007. August told her employer she was physically unable to perform even light duty work for the City of Palo Alto. She did, however, accept employment at a shop that was owned by another City of Palo Alto firefighter. In her deposition, she had denied any employment. August was ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution to the City of Palo Alto. She is scheduled to be in court on April 27th, 2009 and could face a maximum possible sentence of four years in prison. ###