DOWAGIAC — The former office manager for the Dowagiac Fire and Ambulance Service was arrested and charged with embezzlement, the Cass County prosecutor’s office said Monday.

Kathy McFadden, 43, of Hartford, Mich., turned herself in Friday and was arraigned on seven felony counts, Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz said.

Fitz alleges that McFadden embezzled about $19,785 last year by fraudulently using an ambulance ATM card 59 times.

Fitz said the illegal ATM withdrawals occurred in four Michigan counties and in South Bend and Chicago from Jan. 4 of 2007 to Dec. 24 of 2007.

McFadden’s cash/surety bond was set at $10,000. She bonded out of the Cass County Jail, a jail official said Monday.

McFadden had worked for the ambulance service for several years.

The Dowagiac City Council in January awarded the city’s ambulance contract to Coloma Emergency Medical Service after the Dowagaic ambulance service ironically could not financially support itself over the past few years.

McFadden is expected in Cass County court for a pre-examination on March 26 at 9 a.m.