Joint funeral set for Berks County fire chiefs killed in the line of duty
The Pennsylvania fire chief and assistant fire chief killed while searching for a missing woman in Berks County will be honored at a joint funeral service this weekend.
Services for Chief Jeffory Buck, 60, and Assistant Chief Robert Shick Jr., 56, will begin on Friday, April 10, with a viewing from 5-9 p.m. at the Fleetwood High School Auditorium, located at 803 N. Richmond St.
A funeral for the chiefs and best friends will begin the next morning at 11 a.m., also inside the auditorium. Doors open at 9:15 a.m. There will not be a viewing prior to the April 11 funeral service, and attendees are encouraged to arrive early to make time for parking and seating.
Walnuttown Fire and Rescue shared that following the funeral service, a celebration of life with "music, food, drinks and remembrance of our two chiefs" will continue at Fleetwood Borough Park at 333 West Main St. until 5 p.m.
Driver charged with killing fire chiefs didn't have a license
Buck and Shick died on April 4 after they were hit by a driver on Route 222 in Richmond Township. At the time of the crash, the firefighters were riding UTVs and assisting with a missing person search when police said they were hit by 26-year-old Alexander Sepulveda-Rivera.
Prosecutors said Sepulveda-Rivera did not have a valid driver's license and was seen swerving before the crash. He fled from the scene but was eventually caught by officers, and admitted that a crack pipe found in the vehicle belonged to him, Berks County District Attorney John Adams said.
Sepulveda-Rivera is charged with two counts of homicide by vehicle, DUI, driving without a license, involuntary manslaughter and other offenses.
Chiefs remembered as selfless heroes and mentors
Family, friends and firefighters from the tight-knit Walnuttown fire department said Buck and Shick were extremely close. Both men had served with the company for decades and were remembered by Lt. Ryan Tyson as "two of the greatest mentors" the department had ever seen.
Buck is survived by his wife of nearly 34 years and two children, his father, along with multiple grandchildren and extended family.
Shick is survived by his wife of 36 years, his mother, children, and multiple grandchildren, as well as additional family and friends.
Service to the Walnuttown Fire Company runs in both families. Shick's daughter Brittany followed in her father's footsteps and joined the department at 14 years old; Buck's son Chad is also a firefighter in the department.
"He's always been there. He's taught me everything I know," Chad said. "His entire legacy … some shoes that I'm going to have trouble filling, but I'll eventually try."
