HOUSTON A firefighter who sparked a citywide controversy after claiming she was harassed by members of the Houston Fire Department is facing a new legal battle. Jane Draycott was arrested and charged with theft at a Spring Walmart on FM 2920 Monday evening.
Court documents acquired by 11 News state Draycott was arrested by Precinct 4 deputy constables after she was accusedof stealinga DVD player, some DVDs and a bag of ice.
Draycott posted a $500 bond around 2:45 a.m. Tuesday. Draycott was recently hospitalized for depression, her attorney said Wednesday.
Draycott and another female firefighter filed a lawsuit claiming harassment and discrimination while employed by the Houston Fire Department.
The harassment investigation began in 2009 when Jane Draycott and the other firefighter said racist and sexist graffiti was scribbled on their lockers at Fire Station 54.
Draycott s lawsuit claimed she was the victim of repeated unwanted sexual advances from other firefighters at multiple stations where she worked, and after she reported it, she was harassed by her superiors.
Houston s office of inspector general looked into Draycott s allegations of harassment, but its findings were inconclusive. It never released a written report.
Tuesday, Jeff Caynon, the head of the Houston Firefighters Association, said it s time to make that report public.
This is a good opportunity and we re going to take it to once again request that the findings of the investigation be released so that we can exonerate those firefighters who can be exonerated by that investigation, Caynon said.
Draycott withdrewher lawsuit against the city, but her attorney saysit will be refiled when the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission finishes its investigation.
