By C1 Staff
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — An Orange County corrections officer who was fired amid sexual harassment claims, then rehired, is under investigation once again.
WFTV reports that Vernon Hook was accused in 2008 of sexual harassment by several women. He was eventually cleared and allowed to return to his job.
Then a new complaint was filed against him in recent weeks, causing Orange County jail officials to reassign him.
He was fired years ago after several sexual harassment complaints were lodged against him, and after he was found to be in violation of several standards of the jail.
Then in 2009, the ruling was overturned and Hook was allowed back to work as an officer, but not as a supervisor.
No details are being released regarding the new investigation, but sources told WFTV that the new allegations are similar to the previous ones.
The new complaint surfaces as Hook is about to face a civil trial for a lawsuit filed by Toni Giddens. Giddens claims she was sexually harassed by Hook in 2008. She’s blaming both Hooks and Orange County for not doing enough to stop the alleged harassment.
Hooks has been reassigned pending the outcome of this latest investigation.