I am the fifteen year old girl that Edward Utter exposed himself to in 2006.i am now 19 years old. Apparently he thought that because I was a child, I wouldnt get his license plate number and turn him in, but I did. He did the exact same thing to this forty year old woman that he did to me when I was walking home from school. He hid in an alley way. It sickens me that he is still out there and able to do this to another person, he should have been put in jail when he did it to me. He is a sick human being who is not worth the air in this world. All you people that are taking up for him need smacked in the face. He DID do this to me and I'm sure he did it to this woman.

Why are the positives not ever brought out? He is a good guy. I am a little disgusted with the whole situation but still inocent until proven guilty. Everyone needs no lay off a little bit. It is not going to make everything all better, they are just matters of opinion. Newscasters always show negative sides of these people never the good. So everyone just should grow up and live with it he is a damn good medic and deserves to stay that way.

This incident makes the case for mandatory, comprehensive, and state-conducted background checks for every EMS provider. Limiting the checks to felonies doesn't serve the public, since many felonies are reduced to misdemeanors as a result of negotiated plea bargains. Any conviction that places the public at undue risk should be grounds for refusal, revocation or at least probation on their credentials.

Even misdemeanor violations that demonstrate chemical abuse, predatory sexual proclivities, violent tendencies or moral turpitude should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for their potential hazard to vulnerable EMS patients.

The very nature of EMS work provides countless opportunities to exploit people at their most vulnerable, and there are too many cases of EMTs and medics robbing, molesting, and otherwise victimizing their patients. The cases are rare, but even a single example is one too many. Our communities deserve better.

THIS MAN NEEDS SOME MEDICAL ATTENTION. WHY DIDN'T HE HAVE TO REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDER. AND IF U NEED TO EXPOSE URSELF WHY NOT GET A PROSTITUTE INSTEAD OF SOMEONE INNOCENT. I FEEL FOR THE INNOCENT ONES BECAUSE THERE THE ONES THAT HAS TO DEAL WITH THIS THE REST OF THERE LIVES. I'M NOT OUT TRYING TO JUDGE ANYONE BUT COME ON 3 TIMES. HELLO NEED A BRAIN EXAMINE HERE. IF THIS MAN GETS OFF AGAIN ITS HARD TO TELL WHAT HE WON'T DUE. I SAY TO DISMISS HIM WITHOUT PAY UNTIL JUSTICE IS SERVED. THATS WHAT THEY DO TO THE TEACHERS SO WHY NOT HIM. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO DO A LORRAINE BOBIT ON HIM. THE CHILD WAS 15. STAND UP AND GET PERVERTS LIKE HIM AWAY FROM OUR FAMILIES.

Come on people. Get REAL. Anyone who is a pervert is going to put a good show to the public and esp to his EMS coworkers. You think this psycho wants revealed?? He is too smart for that. BUT what he does behind closed doors and in privacy you have NO CLUE. HOW FREAGIN STUPID are you health care workers? Just because he is NICE to you wake up and get into the REAL WORLD. PERVETS never reveal themselves to people they want to impress. Why don't you get your heads out of your butt and do some internet research and some reading on anti social behaviors??? Thought you were more intelligent than this?? Did you all not do a psych rotation??? WAKE UP and do some reading and research, He is a psycho and I pity the people who are acquainted with him cause they are probably as psycho as he is. You know birds of a feather flock together. Think about it. Rick Rock where is your background checks?? Do you just listen to what his mislead coworkers tell you?? You need FIRED too in my opinion. You have a daughter?? I hope not.

I must say some of the opinions on here stating Mr. Utter should be allowed to continue his job until proven guilty are absolutely rediculious! I went to school with him and he has issues...did then and obvisiously still does! When we need emergency care through paramedics, it is one of the most vulnerable times we will encounter in our lives. Why would anyone think that this man and his obvisious need to expose himself for sexual gratification and/or mental issues, would be safe to be left alone with women and children in the back of an ambulance, where they are not able to think clearly, nor get away from him is beyobnd me! I'm sure that those of you who have expressed this thought are probably good friends or family to him, but that is no excuse to let someone who has proven to be an offender time and time again get away with this ever again! If it was my child or my mother who he was picking up for medical care, I would NEVER allow him to have anything to do with them. The scarey part is the people who wouldn't know he is what he is, and just trust that the county has done their checks carefully and completely to insure this type of person is not employed for these services. Personally, I think the state should have him castrated and cut off his penis so he would have nothing to expose to the public; however, that would be against his constitutional rights! So....I guess in the eyes of the lawmakers, we as innocent victims of this discusting man have no rights! What is wrong with this picture???

Well Said statement by Harrison County Paramedic. I agree Rock has the best interest of everyone in mind and this is in no way his fault or the squad's. He has done great things for the squad and many other things in Harrison County. He is a very valuable resource to this area. This should not fall on his door in any way. This has nothing to do with him.

He's already BEEN exposed, hahaha.

I am employed as a Paramedic by Harrison County EMS. It is a complete understatement to say that I am absolutely apalled by the comments posted here about the organization for which I work and Mr. Rick Rock. I am PROUD to be employed by an agency with such outstanding professionalism and dedication to service. Richard Rock has taken an organization that was on the edge of dissolution and turned it into a progressive and professional agency that truly offers a vital emergency medical service to the citizens of Harrison County. Let it be known that criminal background checks are performed routinely by EMS agencies, and only FELONY convictions would disqualify a provider from practicing as an Emergency Medical Technician Basic or Paramedic. The reported charges in 2006 were dropped. After investigation, the employee in question was granted his rights to practice as a Paramedic again by the West Virginia State Office of Emergency Medical Services. Mr. Rock did absolutely NOTHING WRONG by continuing this man's employment after the STATE'S investigation. I have to admit that the latest charges that have been filed are apalling. I have no doubt that the judicial system will thoroughly investigate the validity of the criminal complaint, and find an appropriate verdict and punishment or aquittal. Neither Richard Rock, or the staff of Harrison County Emergency Squad should be held accountable for a single employee's actions away from the workplace. I would like to thank Rick Rock for providing the sound and professional environment in which I work. Mr. Rock should be commended for the outstanding organization that he, the administration and the employees have built. We, as a company, will continue to strive for excellence and provide the best possible emergency medical services to the citizens of Harrison County and surrounding areas.

I think it is good that WBOY got wind of this and exposed this pervert.

This is not a felony; I understand how he was allowed to get jobs in the past, I do not blame the squad, Rick Rock, or Harrison County. Often the security level that employers get on a background check for employment usually only says does the employee have any felonies in his/her background...yes or no. Not any details about what small crimes they have committed in their past. What he has been convicted of probably never showed up on this type of inquiry.

On the other hand thanks to WBOY, we now know this man has a serious problem. The wait and see if he is found guilt approach some are suggesting does not apply in my opinion. This man is trusted to ride in the back of the ambulance ALONE with are children, wives, and mothers. Sometimes in their most vulnerable state, passed out, naked, delivering a child, who knows what else?

Innocent until proven guilty is BS when you look at it that way. He has been found guilty of this once in Maryland, he was let walk in Bridgeport back in 2006 for the exact same thing on an incident that involved a 15 year old girl because of who he is and who he knows. I have also heard but can not verify that their have been two or three other incidents that are not even being mentioned.....and here we are again. This man obviously has a mental disorder or something. He is a habitual offender, this has happened too many times to say lets wait and see. These victims don’t know each other, live near each other, or know this man and want to just accuse him. This is not an isolated incident. I have been walking this earth for 30 years and not one female has ever accused me of jacking off in public, this is a little too much to blow off as a coincidence in at least the third occurrence.

He needs to seek pervert counseling or something. He needs to be at the very least fired and lose his state privileges to be a paramedic until he completes some kind of program or something. At the completion of that program he may be awarded his privileges back as a medical professional but I still don’t think he should be allowed to be alone with patients at that time. Maybe a job in the office at medcom, or as a teacher of college level paramedic students, or something is the way he should go.

Just because you are good at your job does not give you a pass to behave this way.

Can anyone see a on going problem here. He cant quit. If they dont do something with him this time what will he do next? Rick Rock should be ashamed of himself for putting him back on the ambulance the last time. Is this what the people and children get from Harrison County. FIRE ANYONE who helped get him out of this the last time.

anyone who thinks this guy is a stand up citizen is CRAZY and obviously has no children!! let this creep pull out his penis in front of your child and see how you feel about him. just because he may be a nice guy, doesnt mean he isnt a threat to our youth. i happen to live on johnson ave and if this man pulled out his penis in front of my child...im not sure a jury would be needed!!!! and yes. he should be fired. one accusation is one thing. more than one...get real people. kindness does not excuse perverted behavior!!!!!!!! he should not be working with patients who are injured and ill. if he is showing his penis to our innocent youth, can you image what other sick things he is capable of?? wake up people!! THIS MAN SHOULD BE EXPOSED!!!!!!!! just sayin.

Background checks are imparitive. People in need of the EMS are often uncoscious or semi-conscious. Regardless of the awareness level or age of the patient, EMS workers are trusted to touch patients, even to remove clothing. But let's not put all the blame on his employers, what about the fact that he was in public in the first place? Who in their right mind would allow a man to go free after exposing himself to a child in the hopes that he will "stay out of trouble"? It is very likely that in the years between his arrests he sexually assaulted other people who either didn't report it or didn't know enough about the man to file charges.Hopefully his arrest will bring forth other victims. We need to start taking these monsters more seriously.

criminal back ground check's for EMS agencies normally return felony convictions only. Mr.Utter is a respected paramedic in the county apparently, and until "PROVEN" guilty shouldn't be fired. Come on people

I went to school with him and I would have never guessed he would had ever do anything like this! However, with his priors and knowing what other sex offenders say about never being able to stop, someone will have to stop him before he does something much worse..

You know in America we have the justice system to determine who is innocent and who is guilty and in America you are innocent until proven guilty NOT guilty until proven innocent. I happen to personally know Mr. Utter and he works his butt off helping those of us who are hurt. He is nothing but professional on the job, and maybe you should save your accusations and your negative assumptions for when a verdict is made by a jury of his peers!

That is almost exactly what I said in reference to what was posted by The Truth. Scroll through the whole post, please.

I just cant believe they gave him a job... It really bothers me because I have 2 daughters and to think this man could have been called to our aid...I know Rick Rock and it shouldnt really be a suprise to me who he hires but still...I just hope they take the action and fire him and hopefully he will never work as a EMS worker ever again...

Let Common Sense Prevail - get a grip. Relax! Also, libel is when you print or write something incorrect about someone. Slander is when you speak incorrectly about someone. The information is public knowledge. It came from a police report. WBOY is only reporting the facts of the report and the charges against him. Good to know - he sounds like a nut job. Let him come and transport your family member to the hospital.

The Truth 11/18/09 at 2:33 PM Report Abuse

Shame on all of you people!! Do you know this man? Who are you to judge him! Let ye who are without sin to cast the first stone!!! And to WBOY: what gives you the right to libel/slander against this man! I would hope that if and when these charges are aquitted you will give an open appology to this man and his family!!!!

Truth...I do not understand you line of reasoning... The man was convicted by a jury (traditionally that is a jury of his peers) All information given is a matter of public record....how is wboy slandering him? As for your biblical quote..all people, Christians and nonbelievers alike, are ALL subject to the "law of the land". If charges are proved he will be provided with an attorney to represent him and a trial by a jury of his peers. FYI It would ONLY be slander/libel if UNTRUE things were printed about him, they are merely stating the facts AND stating information that is available to the public. Unless you can prove they are providing false information?

truth what about the charges 10 yrs. ago in Maryland?

Looks as tho this man couldn't even pass a drug and alcohol screening but if you get a job @ Family Dollar store you are subjected to back ground checks, drug test and sometimes lie detector test. What is wrong with this system you can't sell me dollar Items but you can treat me medically.

Shame on all of you people!! Do you know this man? Who are you to judge him! Let ye who are without sin to cast the first stone!!! And to WBOY: what gives you the right to libel/slander against this man! I would hope that if and when these charges are aquitted you will give an open appology to this man and his family!!!!

FIRE THEM ALL!!!!!!!

The fact of the matter is Mr. Utter is a good paramedic and conducts himself as a true professional while on the job, however the totality of this means that your conduct will be in question 24/7 since you work in the public arena. Your actions, on or off duty, can have a very strong effect on your organization, either good or bad, and it is definitely bad in this case. All the hard work done by Mr. Rock at the Emergency Squad can be put into jeopardy by a single employee. I’ve read comments on here, obviously from Mr. Utters friends, who were writing their support for him, however there is something fundamentally wrong with someone’s thought patters that engage in this kind of activity or try to justify it. I’ve know Mr. Utter for a long time but now is the time for some swift action to preserve the integrity of the organizations he is associated with. There is a known past with this kind of activity from Mr. Utter and it’s obvious that lessons weren’t learned from the past.

What about Rick Rock he sais he is a model employee. I was told he help him get out of the last charges. If I was Mr. rocks boss him and Utter wuld be standing in the cheese line.

I don't understand why this mans criminal back ground check was not done on him,no telling what he did to women who were knocked out ,this pervert needs to be put under the jail,we sreen teachers and we are a society who checks back ground. someone did not do their job it seems!shame on you!!!!

Why is this guy employed anywhere in the state ? I mean if he had been charged and convicted before he had to have had a record somewhere. Is there no requirement for EMS providers to do a criminal back ground check ? Police and Fire service providers have these requirements. Looks liek to me even if there is no state requirement that each office would only want the best for there patients and clients.