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City fire battalion chief suspended
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A city fire bureau battalion chief has been suspended today after he was charged with pushing and throwing an ex-girlfriend to the floor of her Uptown apartment.
According to a criminal complaint, James Washabaugh, 54, appeared to be intoxicated when police stopped him in the early morning hours leaving his ex-girlfriend's Washington Plaza apartment.
Mr. Washabaugh was charged with simple assault in 2008 for threatening to kill his girlfriend while he punched her and held her to the ground.
It was unclear whether the same woman was the alleged victim in both incidents.
Mr. Washabaugh is a battalion chief at Engine 8 in East Liberty who has worked for the city since 1986. He was placed on paid administrative leave after the 2008 assault.
Police said the woman called 911 after he woke her up after entering her apartment about 1 a.m., screaming obscenities and spitting on her. He then took a seat on the living room couch and started spitting across the room, according to the complaint.
The two had been together earlier in the evening, spending time at Mr. Washabaugh's mother's home, the complaint said.
Later, he showed up at her apartment and the woman told Mr. Washabaugh to leave.
He then pushed her into the corner of a doorway, knocking her to the floor. After she got up, Mr. Washabaugh pushed her against the hallway, putting his forearm across her chest and neck and throwing her to the floor, the complaint said.
Police arrested Mr. Washabaugh as he was entering his car to leave. The woman did not seek medical attention, police said.
First Published August 4, 2012 12:35 am
