Bridgeport fire lieutenant denies bigotry charges
By JOEL THOMPSON

BRIDGEPORT -- A city fire lieutenant intends to plead not guilty to charges of making racial remarks during a confrontation last month involving East Side variety store owners who are of Middle Eastern descent.

Paul Neugebauer, 50, a member of the Bridgeport Fire Department for 16 years, was charged with intimidation based on bigotry or bias, breach of peace, threatening, third-degree assault and two counts of criminal mischief following a May 16 incident at the Convenience Food Market on Boston Avenue.

Neugebauer, free on $5,000 bond, said on Wednesday that he will plead not guilty when he appears today in Superior Court with his lawyer Michael Meehan.

"This is the first incident of its kind the department has investigated," Fire Chief Michael Maglione said. "Neugebauer will have a hearing before me before I consider disciplining him with respect to department policy."

Once Maglione issues his decision, Neugebauer may appeal it to the Board of Fire Commissioners and to state Labor Relations Board.

While his case is pending, Neugebauer has been temporarily reassigned from fire fighting and emergency response to the department's training division.

Neugebauer said a confrontation erupted between him and the store's owners after they ignored him when he wanted to pay for a soft drink.

Police said Neugebauer is accused of yelling profanities and making derogatory ethnic remarks to the owners during the dispute.

Neugebauer said he punched the owners' son in the face to defend himself when the son reportedly confronted him with a 2-by-4 piece of wood.

Police said the son, apparently fearing Neugebauer, also displayed a shotgun before officers arrived.

Shirts worn by the owner and his son were torn before store patrons helped stop the confrontation, police said.

Once he was placed in a police car, Neugebauer reportedly kicked the window, damaging the frame.

Neugebauer, admitting he damaged the car, explained he was very angry and upset with what he thought was an anti-American attitude by the owners in the wake of Sept. 11.

The fire lieutenant said he visited ground zero on Sept. 11.

Recalling his service as a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1970 to 1972, Neugebauer said, "Whatever I saw in combat was nothing compared to what I saw in the tower collapse."

He said he went to the former trade center site during the week after Sept. 11 to help in the rescue effort.

Neugebauer was among several firefighters cited by the fire board for heroism in the rescue of two small girls from a burning apartment building on Center Street in August 1997.

Joel C. Thompson, who covers law enforcement issues, can be reached at 330-6377.