Two Montgomery County firefighters face criminal charges for intentionally flooding a baseball field with thousands of gallons of water from their fire engine.
Fire Captain Christopher Reilly and Firefighter Alan Barnes were charged with malicious destruction of property and disorderly conduct following the July 17 incident. NBC Washington reported that Reilly admitted to police he deliberately sprayed the field out of frustration with baseballs damaging station property. The incident was captured on video that subsequently went viral, showing a towering stream of water saturating the baseball field for approximately three minutes.
Charging documents reveal that Reilly told complaining players he wanted to get their attention through his actions. The flooding forced cancellation of a scheduled Cal Ripken league game, requiring organizers to reimburse fans who had already arrived for the contest.
Incident Details and Firefighter Admissions
Captain Reilly told Maryland National Capital Park Police officers he acted out of frustration due to repeated incidents involving baseballs striking personal vehicles and equipment at the adjacent fire station. According to charging documents, he specifically told two players who came to the station to complain that he wanted to get their attention. The captain's admission provided investigators with clear evidence of intentional wrongdoing in the case.
Firefighter Barnes played a supporting role in the incident by backing the fire engine out of the University Boulevard station before removing the hose from the truck. Video evidence shows Reilly standing on top of the engine while directing the water stream onto the field. The coordinated nature of their actions suggests both firefighters were actively involved in planning and executing the flooding.
The charging documents indicate the water spraying continued for approximately three minutes, creating the dramatic visual that was later shared widely on social media. The extended duration of the incident demonstrates this was not a momentary lapse in judgment but a sustained deliberate action.
Impact on Scheduled Baseball Game
The flooding occurred on the same day a Cal Ripken league game was scheduled between two teams, with paying fans already beginning to arrive at the venue. Organizers were forced to cancel the game due to the field conditions created by the firefighters' actions. The cancellation required officials to reimburse ticket holders who had traveled to attend the contest.
Thunderbolts head coach Brock Hunter expressed frustration about the impact on families who had made significant travel commitments for the game. He noted that both his team and their opponents had driven an hour and a half through traffic from Virginia with hopes of playing after recent rain delays. The deliberate flooding created additional scheduling difficulties for teams already dealing with weather-related postponements.
The incident affected not only the immediate participants but also the broader baseball community that relies on consistent field availability for league play. Hunter described the experience as crazy and noted the particular disappointment for families who had invested time and travel expenses to attend the game.
Legal Consequences and Employment Status
Both firefighters have been charged with malicious destruction of property, which carries a potential sentence of up to three years in prison if convicted. They also face disorderly conduct charges in connection with their actions on July 17. Court dates have been scheduled for both defendants in October, though neither Barnes nor Reilly provided comments when contacted by reporters.
The Montgomery County Fire Department has taken administrative action against both employees following the criminal charges. A department spokesperson confirmed that both firefighters have been removed from operational duties pending resolution of the case. They have been placed on non-public contact status, effectively suspending their regular firefighting responsibilities.
The department's swift administrative response suggests officials take the allegations seriously and want to distance the organization from the firefighters' alleged misconduct. The non-public contact designation ensures the charged firefighters will not interact with community members in their official capacity while the legal proceedings continue.
Investigation and Evidence Documentation
Maryland National Capital Park Police conducted the investigation that led to the criminal charges against both firefighters. The viral video provided crucial evidence showing the extent and duration of the water spraying incident. Investigators also gathered statements from witnesses, including the baseball players who complained directly to Captain Reilly about his actions.
The charging documents filed in the case detail Reilly's admissions to officers about his motivations and intentions in flooding the field. His statements to both police and the complaining players created a clear record of deliberate misconduct rather than accidental damage. The documentation also establishes Barnes's role in facilitating the incident through his operation of the fire engine.
The investigation revealed the systematic nature of the firefighters' actions, from backing out the engine to removing equipment and conducting the extended water spraying. This evidence pattern supports the malicious destruction charges by showing premeditation and coordination between the two defendants in executing their plan to flood the baseball field.
