PETERSBURG, Va. (WTVR)– A Petersburg firefighter has been arrested for a sexual assault of a teenage girl, Dinwiddie County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.
Firefighter John Wesley Hollowell turned himself in on January 29, Dinwiddie Deputies said. He faces a felony charge for object sexual penetration.
Hollowell is a volunteer firefighter in Dinwiddie County and a full-time firefighter in Petersburg.
Tuesday afternoon Petersburg city leaders said that firefighter John Hollowell has been placed on administrative leave with pay by Petersburg fire, rescue and emergency services until the final outcome of the allegations made against him have been determined.
The city of Petersburg issued a statement Monday night that said:
“City of Petersburg and Petersburg Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services administrators have no official information regarding the alleged arrest of firefighter John Hollowell. This is a personnel issue. The City’s policy is not to discuss personnel issues.”
What remains unanswered Tuesday night is what was Hollowell’s relationship to the girl, and how the case surfaced.
