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DC firefighter charged with armed robbery in Fairfax Co.

This is the second arrest of the firefighter. One arrest in Virginia and the other in Maryland.

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — A D.C. firefighter was arrested for the armed robbery of a victim in Fairfax County, according to police.

Fairfax County Police say 27-year-old Christopher Potts, of Maryland, met the victim on Cavalier Landing Court, off of Lee Highway Service Road, around 2:25 p.m. on May 18. After meeting with the victim, Potts showed a firearm and took the victim's possessions.

The victim and Potts knew each other before the incident and were in an ongoing dispute at the time, police said.

Potts was charged and arrested Wednesday with robbery and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, according to police. 

The DC Fire and EMS Department was made aware of Potts' arrest and he is currently on administrative leave. According to the fire department, he was previously arrested in Montgomery County, Maryland for a misdemeanor that was not adjudicated at the time of the second arrest.

According to Montgomery County District Court documents, Potts is facing an obstructing and hindering charge following a police pursuit in which Potts drove over 100 mph in a 35 mph zone.

Police conducted a stop on the suspect's vehicle during the early hours of March 16, according to the documents. During the stop officers discovered the vehicle was unregistered, uninsured, and bearing a registration to a different vehicle. Potts was informed that the vehicle would be towed and he would be given tickets for the vehicle violations.  

Once the tow truck arrived, Potts fled the scene leading police on a high-speed chase that involved the suspect running multiple red lights, the documents say Police stopped the pursuit out of safety to everyone involved, but he continued to drive at a high speed. He was eventually arrested.

WUSA9 has since learned that Potts was also arrested in 2019 in Prince George's County for driving erratically on a revoked license. We asked D.C. Fire if Potts was hired before or after that arrest. A spokesman has not provided a date for when Potts was hired.

DC Fire and EMS Department's Public Information Officer Vito Maggiolo said Potts is on leave and that the department "does not condone or tolerate illegal behavior." His full statement is below:

"The DC Fire and EMS Department does not condone or tolerate illegal behavior. We are constantly evaluating and improving our hiring and vetting policies to ensure that the personnel we bring in to serve the residents and visitors of the District of Columbia are committed to the fundamental components of our Department’s BASICS model (bravery, accountability, safety, integrity, compassion and service). If members of our agency become involved in any criminal activity, it is our duty to investigate and apply discipline to correct or remove behavior in order to best protect our community. We know our members suffer from the same stress and ills that plague our community, however they must hold themselves to standards deserving of the lives they often hold in their hands."

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