Bridgeport DTC member defiant after being arrested for allegedly punching firefighter following crash

A police report obtained by News 12 says Barr was "passed out and slumped over" when first responders arrived on scene after Barr's vehicle had crashed into "rocks and a chain-link fence" in the single-vehicle crash.

Frank Recchia

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Jan 14, 2025, 2:43 AM

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Updated 12 hr ago

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Tony Barr is accused of assaulting a Bridgeport firefighter, who police say was trying to help him after the Democratic Town Committee member crashed his SUV into a fence on Chopsey Hill Road around 4 a.m. Saturday.

"He had no reason to be going through my glove compartment and asking me to get out of the car when I told him twice I was fine and didn't need any help," Barr told News 12's Frank Recchia.

A police report obtained by News 12 says Barr was "passed out and slumped over" when first responders arrived on scene after Barr's vehicle had crashed into "rocks and a chain-link fence" in the single-vehicle crash.

The police report says Barr "was spoken to for over 30 minutes and refused to step out", becoming "combative."

Barr's attorney, Dennis Bradley, said Barr was "searched forcefully and without his consent."

"We're going to be seeking civil remedies in a lawsuit against the Bridgeport Fire Department for violation of [Barr's] constitutional right," Bradley said.

Barr, who spent 21 years in prison for drug trafficking and other felony convictions, has a long criminal record.

In 2016, he received a six-month suspended sentence after police say he threatened to harm Mayor Joe Ganim.

In 2020, Barr received a one-year suspended sentence after being arrested on DUI and other charges.

Since coming home from prison, Barr has become a high-profile figure in the community, gaining attention for what Mayor Ganim has called his "tireless advocacy" for people in need.

Barr is free on a $10,000 bond.