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Saturday, June 7, 2008

[PA] Fire Battalion Chief Washabaugh's bloody girlfriend, arrest, and the new police dv policy

...Officers and paramedics found [CD] crying and distraught with a swollen nose, red marks on her throat and blood on her feet, chest and legs... She said Washabaugh held her face against a vent and pulled her arm behind her back as he repeatedly threatened to kill her... City officials in December signed a "zero-tolerance" policy on domestic violence involving police officers and vowed to expand those rules to all city employees. The expansion of the policy has not been done yet, but Huss said Washabaugh will be treated "in a manner consistent" with the city police policy...

City fire official on leave, charged in domestic dispute
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA
By Michael Hasch
Saturday, June 7, 2008
[Excerpts] A Pittsburgh fire battalion chief was put on paid administrative leave Friday after his arrest on a simple-assault charge filed in connection with what police call a "violent" domestic dispute with his girlfriend. James J. Washabaugh, 50, was arraigned in Pittsburgh Municipal Court and released on his own recognizance to await a hearing next Thursday. Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Michael Huss said Washabaugh will remain on leave, pending the completion of an investigation by the Office of Municipal Investigations... Officers and paramedics found [CD] crying and distraught with a swollen nose, red marks on her throat and blood on her feet, chest and legs.
[CD] said she and Washabaugh had spent the day drinking and playing golf before they began arguing at his home. She said he punched her in the nose, grabbed her by the neck and threw her to the floor. She said Washabaugh held her face against a vent and pulled her arm behind her back as he repeatedly threatened to kill her before she broke free and locked herself in the bathroom to call 911. [CD] was treated at UPMC Mercy hospital, Uptown. City officials in December signed a "zero-tolerance" policy on domestic violence involving police officers and vowed to expand those rules to all city employees. The expansion of the policy has not been done yet, but Huss said Washabaugh will be treated "in a manner consistent" with the city police policy... [Full article here]

City battalion chief charged
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
By Daniel Malloy
Saturday, June 07, 2008
[Excerpts] ...She said Mr. Washabaugh threatened to kill her while holding her face down. The woman sustained a bruised left arm and abrasions on her knees and left foot. She eventually escaped to the bathroom and called 911. By the time officers arrived at the apartment, Mr. Washabaugh had left. According to the police affidavit, the woman's left foot, chest and legs were smeared with blood. Her nose appeared swollen and there were red marks on her neck. Officers noted that she appeared intoxicated. She was treated at UPMC Mercy Hospital and later released... "He's always performed very well in his capacity here on the job," said Public Safety Director Michael Huss... [Full article here]

2 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 07, 2008

    City battalion chief charged
    Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
    By Daniel Malloy
    Saturday, June 07, 2008

    A city fire bureau battalion chief was charged yesterday with simple assault after he was accused of punching his girlfriend and grabbing her by the neck.

    James Washabaugh, 50, was placed on paid administrative leave from his position pending an inquiry by the Office of Municipal Investigations.

    Police responded Thursday night to Mr. Washabaugh's home at the Washington Plaza Apartments, Uptown, after his girlfriend called 911.

    She told police that the pair spent the day golfing and drinking alcohol together but began arguing after they went to Mr. Washabaugh's apartment. The woman -- whose name is withheld because it is the Post-Gazette's policy not to name victims of domestic abuse -- said that Mr. Washabaugh punched her in the nose and grabbed her by the neck, throwing her to the ground.

    She said Mr. Washabaugh threatened to kill her while holding her face down. The woman sustained a bruised left arm and abrasions on her knees and left foot. She eventually escaped to the bathroom and called 911.

    By the time officers arrived at the apartment, Mr. Washabaugh had left. According to the police affidavit, the woman's left foot, chest and legs were smeared with blood. Her nose appeared swollen and there were red marks on her neck. Officers noted that she appeared intoxicated. She was treated at UPMC Mercy Hospital and later released.

    Mr. Washabaugh turned himself in yesterday afternoon after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was released on his own recognizance. Mr. Washabaugh, a battalion chief at Engine 8 in East Liberty, has worked for the city since 1986.

    "He's always performed very well in his capacity here on the job," said Public Safety Director Michael Huss.
    Daniel Malloy can be reached at dmalloy@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1731.
    First published on June 7, 2008 at 12:00 am
    http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08159/888240-53.stm


    ==============================


    City fire official on leave, charged in domestic dispute
    Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA
    By Michael Hasch
    Saturday, June 7, 2008

    A Pittsburgh fire battalion chief was put on paid administrative leave Friday after his arrest on a simple-assault charge filed in connection with what police call a "violent" domestic dispute with his girlfriend.

    James J. Washabaugh, 50, was arraigned in Pittsburgh Municipal Court and released on his own recognizance to await a hearing next Thursday.

    Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Michael Huss said Washabaugh will remain on leave, pending the completion of an investigation by the Office of Municipal Investigations.

    "Further administrative action could be taken at that time," Huss said.

    City police were called at 8:48 p.m. Thursday to an apartment on Centre Avenue in the Crawford-Roberts area of the Hill District. Officers responded to a report of a "violent domestic with the female... locked in the bathroom," the criminal complaint states.

    According to the complaint:

    Officers and paramedics found Camala Davis crying and distraught with a swollen nose, red marks on her throat and blood on her feet, chest and legs.

    Davis said she and Washabaugh had spent the day drinking and playing golf before they began arguing at his home. She said he punched her in the nose, grabbed her by the neck and threw her to the floor.

    She said Washabaugh held her face against a vent and pulled her arm behind her back as he repeatedly threatened to kill her before she broke free and locked herself in the bathroom to call 911.

    Davis was treated at UPMC Mercy hospital, Uptown.

    City officials in December signed a "zero-tolerance" policy on domestic violence involving police officers and vowed to expand those rules to all city employees. The expansion of the policy has not been done yet, but Huss said Washabaugh will be treated "in a manner consistent" with the city police policy.

    City records show that Washabaugh was hired March 10, 1986, and earns a salary of $76,722. Washabaugh has been a fire battalion chief for about three years, Huss said.

    Michael Hasch can be reached at mhasch@tribweb.com or 412-320-7820.
    http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_571528.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mr, Washabaugh,

    I hope you are proud of beating your girlfriend. I am sure you will blame it on job stress. Fuck job stress. Deal with it, like the rest of us. I recently returned from 12 month deployment in afghanistan. During those 12 months, I saw a squad leader blown up by and ied, a friend lose frontal lose capacity from an ied, a medic return to the fob on christmas night after being shot through the face and dying, a squad of four being blown to death by an ied, and numerous friendly Afghans being killed because they cared about the future of their country.

    My Washabaugh,

    Go Fuck yourself. You are a parasite hiding as an interested civilian in the public affairs of the city. As families of the fallen of civil servants try to cope with their losses, you breed off of taxes and try to further your political ambitions. Please try to understand that public service is an honor and should only be undertook with the utmost care and respect. I doubt you will understand this. So Fuck you

    ReplyDelete

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