EAST LIBERTY, Pa. — The Pittsburgh Public Safety Director expressed his anger Monday after a city fire chief was arrested over the weekend for assaulting his girlfriend.
"We are disgusted with him. We are going to do everything we can to get rid of him or get him demoted," Public safety director Michael Huss said.
In June 2008, officials placed Washabaugh on paid administrative leave after city police charged him with simple assault for another dispute with Davis.
Three weeks later, Sewickley police charged him with simple assault, court records show. Details of that incident were not immediately available.
Charges in both cases were dropped, court records show.
Pittsburgh fire Chief Darryl Jones said Washabaugh, who joined the department in March 1986, has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of an internal disciplinary hearing.
Under department rules, Washabaugh will go before a three-member trial board that will consist of either battalion chiefs or deputy chiefs. Their recommendation as to discipline will be forwarded to Mayor Luke Ravenstahl for approval.
"In the past they have not taken appropriate action. They have cut him a break in the past. The only two options I see is that he gets demoted or fired," said Huss.
Jones did not know when the hearing would be conducted.
Records show that Washabaugh earned $110,000 last year, $5,000 more than the mayor.
Channel 11's news exchange partners at TribLIVE contributed to this report.