Clearwater Firefighter Accused Of Threatening To Shoot Girlfriend

TAMPA, FL — A Clearwater firefighter has been charged with aggravated assault after being accused of choking and then threatening to shoot his girlfriend.

According to Tampa police, on Tuesday at 4:04 a.m., police received a 911 call regarding a domestic violence incident at a home in the 200 block of West Idlewild Avenue in Seminole Heights.

Police said Christopher G. Maine, 41, and a 41-year-old live-in girlfriend were drinking together at the home they shared when they got into an argument over politics that escalated.

Maine grabbed the woman by the throat, forced her to the ground and restricted her airway, according to police. The woman kicked Maine to break his hold, so Maine pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot her.

The woman tried to call 911 on a landline but Maine dragged her away from the wall phone.

The woman then located her cell phone and grabbed it to try calling 911 again but said Maine took it from her and threw it, yelling once more that he was going to shoot her.

Fearing for her life, police said the woman grabbed a beer bottle, broke it and held the broken glass toward Maine who continued to point the gun at her, threatening to shoot.

The first Tampa police officer to arrive at the scene said he could hear Maine yelling at the woman. When the officer knocked on the door, the woman ran and opened it, warning the officer that Maine was armed.

Maine continued to point his gun in the direction of the officer and the woman as they were speaking in the doorway.

The officer pulled the woman from the doorway and took her a safe distance away before approaching Maine. The officer then ordered Maine to surrender. Maine handed over the gun and apologized to the officer for pointing it at him, police said.

Maine and the woman have had an off-and-on relationship for about 5 1/2 years. They lived together for the past six months.

Maine was taken to the Hillsborough County Jail where he was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment and tampering with a witness.

Maine has been employed with Clearwater Fire & Rescue since 2005. He has been a lieutenant since 2016. As of Tuesday morning, he has been placed on unpaid administrative leave by the city of Clearwater.

Maine has no previous formal discipline with the city.

"We learned this morning of the allegations against one of our employees, and we are troubled by his arrest," said Fire Chief Scott Ehlers. "This is not the type of conduct we expect from those who serve our city. We are working to gain more information from the Tampa Police Department about the case."