On October 12, Chris Geldart, a DC deputy mayor for public safety and justice, resigned after being charged for assault over an altercation that occurred on October 1 in Arlington, Virginia.
A video of the altercation, which has since gone viral, shows Geldart allegedly fighting with a man in the parking lot of a Gold's gym. In the footage, Geldart can be seen getting into the face of the much smaller man as he shouts at him.
As per Fox, the man Chris Geldart allegedly assaulted was Dustin Woodward, a trainer at Gold's gym. Woodward claimed that Geldart grabbed him by the neck.
ABC reported that a report was filed against Geldart on October 3, two days after the incident. Arlington authorities determined that the argument began after Geldart's vehicle struck Woodward's.
DC mayor Muriel Bowser opens up on Chris Geldart's situation
When the accusations of assault were initially made against Chris Geldart, DC mayor Muriel Bowser described it as a minor dispute. However, as per NBC Washington, the investigation into the assault revealed further details that may have compromised Geldart's position.
According to Arlington authorities, the police statement listed Geldart as a resident of Falls Church, Virginia. However, as per laws in DC, government officials are required to reside in the district they work in. It was revealed that while Geldart pays taxes in South East DC, it is not where his family lived.
While Bowser did not comment on the complications faced by Geldart in terms of his residence, she initially described the altercation as a minor incident.
“It sounds like something that happens to a lot of people — a dispute over something minor — and we hope it is resolved quickly.”
On October 12, after Geldart announced his resignation, Bowser commented on his career.
Bowser said:
"I'm saddened to say that I have accepted the resignation of Deputy Mayor Chris Geldart, but I am proud of the work that we have done together over the last eight years, and I am immensely grateful to Chris for his service to the city."
As per WTOP, Bowser did not make it clear as to whether Geldart was asked to resign, or if he left the post by his own accord.
Bowser said:
“(Geldhart is a) very capable and effective public servant. (...) We agree that we both need to be focused on the big issues for D.C.”
According to the New York Post, in her official statement, Bowser went on to discuss Chris Geldart's achievements over the past eight years.
Geldart reportedly served as the director of the city's Department of Public Works. From 2012 to 2017, he was the director of the city's Homeland Security and Emergency Management agency. In 2020, he spearheaded Washington DC's Covid-19 emergency response efforts.