Pettis County Ambulance District employees arrested for stealing, forgery

Authorities arrested the Pettis County Ambulance District administrator and human resource director Wednesday after an investigation into forgery and stealing.

The Sedalia Police Department says detectives and officers went to the district and arrested PCAD Administrator Michael Gardner and the Human Resources Director, Tracy Rank.

The arrests came after a preliminary investigation into forgery and stealing related to the possession, passing and depositing of unauthorized checks from PCAD accounts.

Police said evidence was collected at the building and that the PCAD Board of Directors are cooperating with the investigation.

The board released a statement Wednesday, saying it discovered accounting irregularities last Thursday and a board member notified the Police Department.

“Friday, March 24, PCAD Board had an emergency closed board meeting at the SPD, where the documents were handed over to Detective Matt Wirt. PCAD Board was notified March 28, that SPD had obtained probable cause to arrest two employees of PCAD,” the statement said.

PCAD said it is still conducting an internal investigation and will prepare another statement once the investigations are complete.

Gardner was charged Wednesday with 47 counts of forgery and 1 count of stealing. Rank was charged with 1 count of stealing.