The City of Rock Falls and two fire chiefs are calling for a Whiteside County judge to reverse a $31.5 million settlement with the family of fallen Sterling Fire Captain Garrett Ramos, who lost his life in a house fire in December 2021. The city, along with former and current chiefs Cris Bouwens and Ken Wolf, also seek a new trial, citing several legal defenses.
Their attorneys argue the city should be exempt under the Workers’ Compensation Act, as Ramos was responding under mutual aid. The motion also claims the chiefs’ decisions fall under discretionary immunity, and disputes the trial’s evidence and awarded damages.