Facing discipline, Columbus fire chief resigns

Catch up quick: Happ has been chief since 2021 and has worked for the division since 1993.

• His five-year term was set to end March 3.
• Happ's discipline stems from a July 2023 crash on I-270 in Gahanna. On-duty firefighter Tyler Conners tried to U-turn a fire engine across lanes of traffic, causing a crash involving two other vehicles that killed a 63-year-old man.
• Conners was convicted of vehicular manslaughter in 2024 and sentenced to probation, but he wasn't disciplined at work.

What's next: As the city searches for a replacement chief, four assistant chiefs will fill in on rotating shifts, public safety spokesperson Glenn McEntyre tells Axios.

• McSweeney-Pishotti has also ordered policy changes aiming to prevent similar situations, including banning non-emergency U-turns.

What we're watching: "The department continues to review the findings of the investigation to evaluate potential discipline for others independently found to have violated policies in this case," per an emailed statement.