Double-life fireman arrested in Lynn

LYNN – The Lynn firefighter who made headlines last month for allegedly lying about his residency and assaulting his ex-girlfriend was arrested again on Monday.Michael Ortiz, 45, was arrested and charged with violating a restraining order shortly before 5 p.m.Police allege Ortiz was sitting in a car outside the YMCA on Neptune Boulevard around 4:30 – the same time his former girlfriend Kathryn Howard, 28, was expected to pick up her 9-year-old daughter from an after-school program.Ortiz was arrested Aug. 19 for allegedly pulling Howard out of a shower and shaking her while yelling that she dated another man. Ortiz then allegedly punched her brother, Paul Howard, 23, several times and choked him on a couch when he tried to help his sister.Ortiz was also suspended from the fire department for two days March 8 for an undisclosed incident, according to a personnel document obtained by the Item.During his original arrest Howard told police Ortiz used her Lynn address to satisfy his residency requirement but he really lived with his father in Newton – an allegation Ortiz denies. The city of Lynn requires all municipal employees except for teachers to reside within city limits.James Lamanna of the Lynn Residency Compliance Commission has said Ortiz almost lost his job about seven months ago when the commission discovered he was living with his wife, Debra Ortiz, 45, in Medford.News of the August arrest caused Debra Ortiz to speak out because she said she was unaware that her husband was dating Howard despite their marital problems. He allegedly told her he was planning to live with a retired Lynn firefighter so he wouldn’t lose his job.”He told me he was living at 12 Williams St. in Lynn with a retired firefighter. He lied,” Debra Ortiz said.In a separate interview, Michael Ortiz said for the past several months Howard’s home had been his primary residence.Last month Howard took out a restraining order that prohibited Ortiz from being within a certain distance of her or her home, according to police, who advised her to have the restraining order extended to Howard’s daughter and the YMCA.Police were called Monday after Howard’s 13-year-old niece recognized Ortiz sitting in a rented Ford Focus outside the YMCA building.Ortiz, who earned $55,920 in 2007, told police he is homeless and was outside the Y because he was planning to go inside to inquire about renting a room.Howard told police through tears that she has taken her daughter to the YMCA program for seven years and always picked up her daughter around the same time, according to a police report.After their breakup last month, Howard told the Item she and the firefighter from the Boston Street station were engaged to be married.City Personnel Director Joseph Driscoll said Tuesday the compliancy commission is planning to wait to take any possible action against Ortiz until his assault and battery case is completed.”I think we would put the district attorney’s case in jeopardy by putting our witnesses forward [in a commission hearing] who are the same witnesses in that case,” Driscoll said.As police searched Ortiz’ car Monday they reported finding a sum of cash, a laptop computer, clothes and two copies of the Daily Item – the Aug. 20 and 27 editions that discussed Ortiz’ situation – under the driver’s seat. Police seized the newspapers as evidence against Ortiz for the restraining order violation.