EMS chief may lose license
Staff writer
Marion County ambulance director Curt Hasart remains under investigation by the state. Investigators weren’t able to present their evidence to the Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services in August.
But Joe House, director of the state Board of EMS, said the matter would come before the state board during its October meeting. Newly obtained evidence is expected to be presented at that time.
Hasart is under investigation because he denied having any pending criminal cases when he applied for his Kansas paramedic license. He received a temporary Kansas license Dec. 9, 2011.
According to South Dakota court records, Hasart was charged Aug. 16, 2011, in South Dakota on a July 25, 2011, domestic assault.
He also was charged Sept. 6, 2011, with obstructing a law enforcement officer by using or threatening violence Aug. 22, 2011, and with resisting arrest by intentionally attempting to prevent an officer by using means that created a substantial risk of injury to the officer.
The probable cause affidavit for this arrest shows that the judge had to get courtroom security for a temporary protection order hearing involving Hasart.
When Hasart, outside the courtroom, was told it was time for court, he yelled, “I will f***ing kill her if I go in there.”
He walked away and ignored an order to stop. Two deputies put him to the ground, but Hasart continued to resist while they handcuffed him, and was arrested.
While the cases were pending, his bond was modified so he could go to job interviews in Oklahoma and Wellington.
Hasart made a plea agreement Jan. 12, 2012, to obstruction of justice and was sentenced Jan. 18, 2012, to pay $420 and serve 15 days in jail.
He entered a diversion agreement in the domestic assault case and charges were dismissed Jan. 12, 2012. Charges were re-filed July 3, 2012, and dismissed again March 1, 2013.
When the Record contacted Hasart in July about his arrests, he denied that he had been arrested twice.
After Hasart started working at Wellington, he also was charged with battery and disorderly conduct there. In that case, he entered a diversion agreement.
The newspaper was urged to investigate Hasart’s background by senior ambulance employees who requested confidentiality but said there was talk of mass resignations within the department if the situation was not dealt with. Hasart’s license could be revoked in October for lying about having no criminal cases against him.
At the time he applied, the Board of EMS took applicants’ word and did not make criminal background checks.
Board of EMS was in Marion County to conduct an annual inspection Thursday. House said inspectors found serious deficiencies and encountered employees who have anonymously expressed unhappiness with Hasart but were afraid of losing their jobs if they spoke to state inspectors.
County commissioners said last month that no background check was done on Hasart before he was hired.
South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners records indicate that Hasart entered a consent agreement Oct. 19, 2012, with a reprimand that was reported to national data banks “and all other entities deemed necessary.”
He submitted an application to a different South Dakota board July 15, 2015, seeking renewal of his advanced life support license. He worked for Wellington at that time.
Aware of his arrests, the South Dakota board put Hasart’s application “under investigation for several incidents that could potentially be considered unprofessional or dishonorable conduct.”
The department’s final ruling noted that the board of medical examiners had recommended Hasart be mandated to attend a health professionals assistance program and that on Feb. 3, 2016, Hasart submitted a letter to the medical board surrendering his EMT-Paramedic license effective immediately.
Asked what happened when he was arrested twice in South Dakota, Hasart said, “I will not discuss it.”
Asked what happened that he was charged with battery in Wellington, Hasart said only, “I was not convicted of anything.”
Hasart’s employer at the time, the Wellington fire department, found out about Hasart’s troubles in South Dakota, Wellington fire chief Tim Hoy said.
“One day, he just up and quit,” Hoy said. “He was on fragile ground.”
After leaving Wellington, Hasart went to work for Dickinson County EMS in January 2018 and left employment there in May 2019.
He was rehired in January 2020 and worked there until November 2022, when he came to Marion County.