Assault charges dropped against former D.C. deputy mayor
Jeff Overand, a prosecutor with the Arlington County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, requested a decide to dismiss the case in a short listening to in Arlington County Common Pleas Court. The prosecutor performed a video of police interviewing a witness, who claimed the person Geldart was accused of assaulting was the “primary aggressor” within the incident, though it was “definitely a mutual thing”.
The prosecutor acknowledged that the opposite man, Dustin Woodward, “is not happy with our decision,” and Woodward mentioned the identical in courtroom.
“I don’t agree with the dismissal of the charges,” he advised the decide. “This is not okay.”
But Judge R. Frances O’Brien finally agreed to toss the case.
“Was it treated well by either side?” requested the decide. “Certainly not.”
The incident occurred on Oct. 1 exterior a Gold’s health club in Arlington, Va. Woodward, a private coach, mentioned the dispute started when the door of Geldart’s automobile hit his girlfriend’s automobile. Woodward the deputy mayor allegedly grabbed him by the throat, and video footage obtained by Fox 5 confirmed Geldart showing to push him earlier than Woodward pulled his arms away. Woodward filed a legal criticism with a decide.
In an earlier interview with The Washington Post, Geldart mentioned that he was “ashamed” of his conduct exterior Gold’s Gym, however declined to debate the matter due to the pending legal charges. Outside the courtroom on Tuesday, he mentioned: “I’m still not satisfied with my conduct in this.” His legal professional, Karin Riley Porter, mentioned, “You can clearly see that there is no evidence to support this criminal charge.”
In the sooner interview with The Post, Geldart additionally defended his residing association, which got here underneath scrutiny after a police affidavit associated to the assault allegations listed his deal with as in Virginia. Geldart, a former Marine, mentioned he was “geo bacheloring” — a time period utilized in army circles to explain an association the place service members reside aside from their households, typically with different army personnel. He mentioned he stayed part-time along with his household in Falls Church, Va., and part-time with a pal and former colleague in Washington. Geldart mentioned Tuesday that he had not re-signed his D.C. lease after leaving authorities.
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) introduced in mid-October that she had accepted Geldart’s resignation, however declined to disclose what prompted her to resign.
“All the questions that are being raised are distracting from his work and my work,” she mentioned, including that the resignation was a “mutual” resolution and that the 2 had a “face-to-face” dialog.
Geldart had been deputy mayor of public security and justice since early 2021, overseeing the town’s police pressure, emergency and hearth response, jails and different businesses tasked with protecting DC residents protected. He beforehand held management roles on the Department of Public Works and the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, and helped lead the town’s early response to the coronavirus pandemic.
