Woman's letter accuses firefighter of stalking, sexual assault

DETROIT - A fire victim is accusing a Detroit firefighter of sexual assault and threatening her life. 

She said he threatened to burn her house down and bragged that he could make it look like an accident.

A disturbing letter describing how the firefighter raped the woman and threatened her life was anonymously sent to fire officials last week, prompting an investigation. The woman, who says she is a struggling single mother, accuses the firefighter of harassing her after responding to a fire in her home.

In the letter she says the man, who told her his name was "John," began coming to her home. He claimed to be a friend and was looking out for her because she didn't have a man around.

But then the woman says one night, after getting off of work, "he forced himself on me and afterwards told me that he loved me and that he intended on being there for me."

The woman says he then called her 20 times that day, trying to convince her to spend the rest of her life with him. The woman says she forgave him but after a few months, she says he became verbally and physically abusive.

In the letter she wrote:

"He carried a gun and told me that if he ever saw me with another man he would use it. He constantly told me that he could burn down my house and make it look like an accident, and because he was a firefighter he could get away with it."

She says when he threatened her young child; she stood up to him and ended the relationship. After learning his true identity and of his other family, which she says she knew nothing about.

In the letter she says he still threatens her and ends the letter by saying:

"When I or any woman calls 911 for help, we should not fall victim to a man who preys on women in vulnerable situations."

With no specific dates, times or locations, sources say whether this is a legitimate complaint or a hoax, the Detroit Fire Department is making sure it is properly investigated.

Fire Commissioner Edsel Jenkins releasing this statement:

"The Detroit Fire Department cannot comment on personnel investigations. The Department investigates all citizen complaints and responds directly to the citizen as appropriate.

In regard to this specific allegation, there is an anonymous letter being circulated that has been submitted to the Detroit Police Department for investigation."