A New York car fire turned into a fist fight and lead to the temporary suspension of a 40-year department veteran. The melee was caught on a cell phone video by a town employee.
According to a news article published by Riverhead News, Tom Brady, 65, a former chairman of the Jamesport Fire Department, was temporarily suspended and could face departmental charges in the July 3 fire scene fight.
Brady told the paper he was not the aggressor in the fight in which he received hospital care for contusions and he was the only one suspended as a result of the melee that was broken up by other members of the department.
The paper reported that Brady had approached a fellow firefighter, Joseph A. Szot, 24, to tell him that he nearly hit Brady with the fire truck while pulling out of fire headquarters.
The video allegedly shows Brady placing his hand on Szot’s shoulder to turn him around to speak with him. Szot’s father, Joseph Szot Jr., 54, is a current fire commissioner with the fire department. The video shows the younger Szot steeping in front of Brady as shoving began after which the elder Szot jumped into the fray. Brady was pinned against the front of a fire truck until other firefighters broke up the scuffle, according to the paper. Brady said he was punched several times.
A police report was filed with the Riverhead Town by Brady, but no charges were filed or sought, according to the paper that also reported the incident was going to be handled in house with the Jamestown Fire Department. The paper reported that Brady wanted a police report on file because it wasn’t the first time he had issues with the Szots previously.
The newspaper got the video after filing a Freedom of Information request. It shows the incident lasted less than a minute. The paper also reported it muted sound on the video before making it public because of offensive language that was used
“There have been arguments before, but I’ve never seen it come to fisticuffs,” Brady said in an interview with the paper. He said after the fight, he was suspended by Chief John Andrejack. No one else was suspended.
Brady’s suspension was lifted by the board of commissioners on Tuesday, July 18, but told he still might face departmental charges of which were not specified.
The younger Szot could not be immediately reached for comment. His father, Szot Jr. issued a statement on Thursday that said: “The Jamesport Board of Fire Commissioners are in possession of numerous witness statements regarding this incident. Unlike Mr. Brady, I will not debate this issue in the press in an attempt to get public support and approval. I will simply allow the witness statements to tell the story.” He said he was speaking for himself and not as a commissioner, according to the paper.
Bob Sikora, chairman of the commissioners said an attorney hired by the district is reviewing the video.
Brady, a retired Suffolk County police lieutenant and an Air Force veteran said he wasn’t told what charges he might face.
Chief Andrejack declined to comment on the incident.
