Loved ones mourn losses of Berks County fire chief, assistant fire chief: "He was a hero"
Sharon Buck and her husband were camping with some friends Saturday night when she said they got word her brother-in-law, 60-year-old Walnuttown Fire Chief Jeff Buck, was hurt in an accident. A few hours later, they got the call that he had died.
"It was a very, very big shock to the family," Buck said.
Black bunting is now draped over the Walnuttown Fire and Rescue station's garage doors, fire trucks and both men's lockers as the department mourns the losses of Buck and 56-year-old Assistant Chief Robert Shick.
Sharon Buck said her brother-in-law has been with Walnuttown since he was a teenager. Firefighting was his life.
"Just a hero. He was a hero," she said. "He was selfless when it came to taking care of other people, helping other people. If there was a problem, he was there, in a heartbeat."
Investigators said the firefighters were out Saturday evening as part of the search for a missing woman. They were driving on the shoulder of Kutztown Road at around 6 p.m., when police said a Toyota Camry hit them. The driver of that car, identified as Alexander Sepulveda Rivera, initially ran from the scene but was picked up a short time later.
According to court documents released following Sepulveda Rivera's arraignment Monday, he told Northern Berks Regional police he fell asleep at the wheel and was woken up by the crash.
Investigators claimed they found a crack pipe and marijuana in the car. They also said Sepulveda Rivera did not have a license and had a separate warrant out for his arrest at the time of the incident.
On Monday, Walnuttown firefighters led a procession to return their fallen brothers back home from the Lehigh County Coroner's Office.
"They leave a lot of knowledge behind," Lt. Ryan Tyson said, "but they've passed a lot on as well."
Tyson said Walnuttown has about 15 active members at the department, making this a close-knit bunch. He said both Buck and Shick have spent decades here, working their way from the lowest ranks to the top levels.
The pair left lasting impacts on the firefighters who have come through here. Those impacts, Tyson said, extend to the broader community, which has come out to show support.
"People were parked along the side of the road with their four-ways on, standing and saluting a procession that they didn't know the people," Tyson said.
Officials said the Walnuttown department will be covered by neighboring fire companies until at least Saturday, giving this crew time to process and grieve the losses.
"We're sticking together," Tyson said. "It's pretty much all we can do right now."
Sharon Buck hopes her brother-in-law is remembered for the lives he touched along the way.
"They loved him," she said. "He took pride in training them and making them into the firefighters they are."
Funeral arrangements for Buck and Shick have not been announced.
The Berks County District Attorney is scheduled to hold a press conference on the investigation Tuesday at 11 a.m.
Sepulveda Rivera is facing multiple charges, including homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence.