This year, Lewis Zak’s marriage fell apart, he lost his job as a Dallas firefighter and he was accused of injuring his infant son.
Zak is fighting to get back to normal. He denied the criminal charge, and a Denton County grand jury eventually cleared him. And on Thursday, Zak, the son of a retired Dallas Fire-Rescue deputy chief, will try to persuade Assistant City Manager Eric Campbell to give him his job back.
Dallas Fire-Rescue Chief Louie Bright III fired Zak, a six-year veteran of the department, in July after fire investigators sustained two allegations of “unprofessional conduct.” Zak believes he was viewed by the department as guilty until proved innocent.
“The investigation was shoddy,” said Chris Livingston, Zak’s attorney.
Lt. Joel Lavender, a Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman, declined to comment. He said the department does not discuss personnel issues.
At the time he was fired, Zak was still facing the charge of injury to a child. The Carrollton Police Department arrested him April 29, 10 days after workers at the boy’s day care took him to Children’s Medical Center Plano with bruises. Zak, 37, was placed on administrative leave three days after the arrest.
The boy’s mother told the day care workers the bruises came from Zak giving him a nebulizer treatment. The 7-month-old had bronchitis and Zak said the child resisted having the mask placed on his face.