Another Bridgeport CT Firefighter Placed on Leave over Charges

Mar. 1—NEW HAVEN — Another Bridgeport firefighter is on paid leave after his arrest on several charges in early February.

Ryshon Penix, 38, is the second city firefighter arrested recently, while an unnamed high-ranking member of the department is under investigation in a sex assault case.

Penix's lawyer did not return a message seeking comment Monday.

He faces three felonies — first-degree unlawful restraint, two counts of risk of injury to a minor — and two misdemeanors — third-degree assault and breach of peace — in connection to a Feb. 2 incident at a New Haven home during which a woman said Penix restrained and slapped her.

Penix is free after posting $5,000 bond in the case. He has not yet entered pleas, and is scheduled to appear in court March 8.

Bridgeport Emergency Management Director Scott Appleby, who also serves as the public safety spokesman, said Penix is an 11-year veteran of the department.

"The Department takes matters such as this very serious, and will continue to monitor the situation," Appleby said.

According to a police report, New Haven cops were dispatched to a home about 2:38 a.m. Feb. 2 for a report of a dispute.

A woman told police she was having a verbal argument with Penix, who had also taken her car keys away.

Cops said the woman's lip was swollen and bleeding slightly, and the woman first said she had tripped and fallen, but later told cops Penix had restrained and slapped her before pulling her by the hair out of her children's bedroom.

The report said the woman refused medical attention and did not want to give police a written statement. When cops questioned Penix, he allegedly told them the argument started over a prior incident and "was not that big of a deal," denying it became physical or that he took the woman's car keys, though they were later found in his pocket.

According to the report, as cops arrested Penix, he told them he had a registered firearm on his hip — a loaded Beretta PX4 Storm, which was confiscated without incident.

Police confirmed he had a legal pistol permit and found he had a total of nine guns registered, though he said that "he only has the one firearm that was on him because (the) others were taken away approximately 2-3 years ago," without elaborating, according to the report.

In January, another Bridgeport firefighter, Dany Estrada, 36, was charged with illegal sexual contact and fourth-degree sexual assault after he was accused of groping a teenage girl at a Monroe restaurant in September.

Estrada, who is free after posting $5,000 bond, has not entered pleas to the charges and his next court date is March 23.

Then, in mid-February, city officials announced an unnamed senior fire official had been placed on leave amid an investigation into a complaint of an alleged sexual assault at his home. No arrests have been made in that case.

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