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For Darren Peiren, his job as a paramedic with Dublin EMS was short-lived.
Peiren, 45, is accused of stealing narcotics from an ambulance he was riding in on Thursday, March 8, during his orientation, then getting into an accident immediately after leaving work.
Dublin Police Chief Bobby Mendez said the EMS coordinator became suspicious of Pieren’s behavior earlier that day.
“Based on (Pieren’s) behavior, the EMS coordinator suspected that he was using narcotics,” Mendez said. “When Pieren left they immediately did a med count.”
As the EMS crew was conducting an inventory of its medicine, they were paged to an accident.
It was Pieren.
He had rear-ended a vehicle on Patrick Street near Dairy Queen.
“The EMS coordinator told police about their suspicions,” Mendez said.
An investigation showed that fentanyl, a strong opioid used as pain medication, was missing from the ambulance.
Pieren was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and theft of a controlled substance by a public servant.
He is being held at the Erath County Jail on a $25,000 bond.
Peiren was reportedly suspected in a similar incident while he worked for Erath County EMS. Mendez said he was aware of the allegation but did not know the circumstances surrounding it.
Pieren, a Granbury resident, is now out of a job in Dublin.
“He will probably be without a license very soon as well,” Mendez said.