Image taken from the Maple Grove Fire-Rescue Facebook page shows Maddison Zikmund being sworn in as fire chief. (Supplied)
MAPLE GROVE, Minn. (FOX 9) - The City of Maple Grove says Fire Chief Maddison Zikmund resigned from his position earlier this month amid charges of criminal sexual conduct involving a teenage girl.
Maddison Zikmund resigns as fire chief
What we know:
Maple Grove city officials confirmed Zikmund resigned from his position as fire chief, effective July 16. City officials said they became aware of a criminal investigation involving Zikmund when he was employed by another department. He was immediately placed on administrative leave.
City officials say Acting Fire Chief Bill Abderhalden is overseeing day-to-day operations of the department, and emergency response services continue without interruption.
What we don't know:
Who will replace Zikmund full-time with the Maple Grove Fire Department. The City of Maple Grove is requesting council approval to recruit for the position on the July 20 City Council agenda.
Charges against Maddison Zikmund
The backstory:
Maddison Michael Zikmund, 36, is charged in Anoka County with third-degree criminal sexual conduct while in a position of authority. The criminal complaint states Zikmund invited the victim to his home in spring 2017, where he assaulted her.
Criminal charges:
Blaine police, according to a criminal complaint filed in Anoka County, say they were informed by the victim on June 26, 2026, that Zikmund assaulted her while she was "fire explorer" with the Spring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View (SBM) Fire Department.
Zikmund was reportedly a firefighter and a supervisor of the explorer program when the victim enrolled in the summer of 2016.
The victim, who was 16 at the time, said she was groomed by Zikmund during her time in the program, according to the complaint.
Zikmund and the victim began texting before the conversations moved to Snapchat and Instagram. Those conversations, according to the complaint, became sexually explicit as Zikmund asked for nude photographs of the victim.
The victim, who was 17 years old at the time, said she was then invited to Zikmund's Blaine home in spring 2017. The two then went to a spare bedroom inside the home, where she was assaulted, according to the complaint.
'I know this was wrong':
Authorities say they interviewed Zikmund on July 1, 2026.
Law enforcement officials say he initially denied remembering any specific explorer who may have been interested in him, but later admitted to exchanging explicit and nude photographs with the victim.
The complaint states Zikmund then admitted to having the victim at his home in Blaine, and that it was "very uncomfortable." He reportedly denied having sex with the victim but said he did touch her vagina underneath her clothing.
Investigators say Zikmund later said, "Again, I know this was wrong."