After De Soto Rural Fire Protection District Lt. Ron Wehlage finished his shift Sunday morning (June 28) and then did not show up for his next one two days later, Chief Tom Fitzgerald sent someone to check on him.
Unfortunately, Wehlage, 40, was found dead Tuesday morning (June 30) at his home in De Soto, where he lived alone, Fitzgerald said.
“He was the nicest, gentlest, biggest-hearted person you would ever know,” Fitzgerald said.
He said it’s not known exactly when or how Wehlage died, but the fire district is considering it “a line-of-duty death.”
Fitzgerald said De Soto Rural Fire must await a Medical Examiner’s report for more details about Wehlage’s death.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office was called to investigate, which is standard procedure when there’s a sudden death, spokesman Grant Bissell said.
“There’s no indication of anything suspicious or criminal,” he said.