Fire dept. ride-along guest was robbery suspect's girlfriend

STOCKTON, Calif. - A woman who recently accompanied Stockton, California firefighters on a ride-along is the girlfriend of a suspect in a deadly bank robbery, reports CBS Sacramento.

The alleged robber, as well as a hostage in the standoff and pursuit, were killed in a shootout with Stockton police in July 2014.

Firefighters say it's the chief's office who approves ride-along guests., typically EMT students who need training hours.

The fire crew says Angelica Tovar, who claims to be the girlfriend of deceased robbery suspect Gilbert Renteria, went into as many as eight homes on Jan. 26 before she told firefighters who she was, reports the station.

Firefighters are now asking how Tovar, who reportedly has a record for loitering with the intent of prostitution, was approved by the city for a ride-along, according to CBS Sacramento.

"They're going to be in people's homes, observing what we do," Stockton firefighters union vice president Matt Baker told the station. "We need to make sure that citizens are safe and firefighters are safe also."

Firefighters say the fire chief's office runs background checks on ride-alongs. CBS Sacramento obtained a copy of Tovar's waiver, which lists her real name, and includes an emergency contact who is a member of the robbery suspect's family.

Stockton Fire Chief Jeff Piechura confirmed for the station that Tovar passed the background check.

"They go in and do a live scan. It's a fingerprint check by the Department of Justice screening," he said. "We process that through our human resources."

Tovar told CBS Sacramento she's a certified EMT and needed to participate in the ride-along as part of the paramedic program. She told the station she is attending school in San Francisco and pursuing a career in the medical field to provide income for her three children.

"I didn't know what [Gilbert Renteria] was going to do that day," she said, referring to her deceased boyfriend's alleged role in the robbery. "I shouldn't be punished for something my boyfriend did. I'm honest that he was a part of my life."

In the wake of Tovar's ride-along, Stockton's fire union has requested a third-party investigation into ride-along background checks.

Piechura says a full background check would cost the city between $800 and $1,100. But he says knowing now who Tovar was, he is upset she made it on the ride-along call.