Hillsborough Fire Rescue chief arrested for domestic violence

PINELLAS -- Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Chief Bill Nesmith was booked into the Pinellas County jail early today on a domestic violence charge of aggravated assault, jail records show.

According to jail records, Nesmith was booked into at the jail about 12:06 a.m. He remains behind bars with his set bail at $5,000.

An arrest report says that Nesmith, 59, threatened to shoot his wife then turn the gun on himself.

He denied making the threat when deputies arrived at his house about 9:50 p.m. on Saturday, according to the report.

Nesmith's wife told deputies that she wasn't sure whether there was a gun in the house when her husband allegedly made the threats. She assumed he was going to get a gun when he went into the couple's bedroom, and she left.

Deputies seized a revolver and a semi-automatic handgun when they arrested Nesmith.

Nesmith has served as the Hillsborough County Fire chief since October 1996. He spent more than 24 years with Tampa Fire Rescue before retiring as a division chief and joining Hillsborough Fire Rescue in 1994 as an assistant chief.

Nesmith is the current past president of the Florida Fire Chief's Association and he has served as an instructor for basic firefighter certification and management level courses through Hillsborough Community College.

Hillsborough Fire Rescue officials plan to release a statement once they have more information.

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-Kevin Graham, Times staff writer