A long-simmering fight inside West Covina's Fire Department has ended quietly, with a former fire captain and the city reaching what court papers call an "unconditional" settlement in his discrimination lawsuit. The deal shuts down a case that accused city officials of age and disability discrimination and of retaliating after the veteran captain raised COVID-19 safety concerns. The documents do not reveal how much money, if any, is changing hands.
What the lawsuit said
Curtis McCart, a former West Covina fire captain who logged more than 32 years with the department, filed suit in June 2023 alleging disability discrimination, age discrimination and retaliation. In the complaint, he says he repeatedly raised alarms that then-Fire Chief Vincent Capelle was not following COVID-19 safety protocols and that some personnel were mistreating homeless residents.
The lawsuit states that in 2022 the city warned McCart he would be reassigned or terminated and that officials told him his retiree medical benefits could be at risk if he did not step down. He alleged he was essentially forced into retirement. McCart sought reinstatement and unspecified damages, according to San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
City's defense
City attorneys pushed back in court filings, disputing McCart's account of what happened. They said he was placed on paid administrative leave in July 2022 after making troubling comments to co-workers, including allegedly blaming a deadly shooting at a Los Angeles County fire station on management and suggesting physical harm toward others. McCart has denied making threats.
The city also argued that McCart never identified any specific COVID-19 regulation that Capelle violated and that he did not file a formal grievance while he was still employed, according to MyNewsLA.
Settlement filed in court
On Feb. 5, 2026, McCart's attorneys informed Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Peter A. Hernandez that the parties had reached an "unconditional" settlement. The filing asked the court to close the case.
The notice did not spell out any payout or other terms of the deal, leaving the details under wraps. The filing that formally ended the lawsuit was described by the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
Wider context at City Hall
The McCart resolution lands amid a turbulent stretch for West Covina leadership, especially at the Fire Department. In 2023, a jury awarded former Fire Chief Larry Whithorn $4.1 million in a wrongful termination case, a verdict that was later upheld on appeal, according to FireRescue1.
Then-Fire Chief Vincent Capelle, who figured prominently in McCart's allegations, was himself placed on administrative leave and ultimately fired in November 2024 amid tensions on the City Council. His ouster added fuel to ongoing scrutiny of the department and City Hall, as reported by Firehouse.
What's next
With the settlement notice now on file, the court is expected to dismiss the case once final closing documents are processed and any outstanding motions are withdrawn. City attorneys had already asked the court to toss out McCart's claims, arguing in earlier filings that the evidence did not support his discrimination and retaliation allegations.
Neither McCart nor the city has publicly disclosed the settlement terms, and none were included in the court notice, according to MyNewsLA.
