Fire chief arrested at Obama rally

MIAMI, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- Miami police say an off-duty fire chief who allegedly jumped a security fence at a Barack Obama campaign rally was arrested and charged with battery.

Dean Parkerson, 47, district chief of the Hialeah Fire Department, ignored warnings to stay out of a restricted area at a rally attended by 30,000 people for Obama's presidential bid, The Miami Herald reported Thursday.

Police earlier in the day had been briefed on a bomb scare, that later turned out to have nothing to do with the Obama's visit Tuesday, the Herald reported.

Wary nonetheless, police moved swiftly when they saw a man carrying metal objects and wearing a "Firefighters for Obama" shirt jump the fence, said a police report, noting the metal objects turned out to be car keys.

Parkerson, who allegedly had been drinking and claimed he was working with the Secret Service, was charged with resisting arrest and battery on a police officer.

Parkerson, who has declined to comment, was freed Wednesday on $6,000 bail and placed on administrative duties pending a review of the allegations, the Herald reported.