COLUMBUS — An Ohio firefighter has been arrested for OVI charges two times in nearly one year.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
A Columbus firefighter was pulled over in the area of South Hamilton and Etna Roads on March 8, our news partners WBNS-10 TV reported.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Officer injured during apprehension of wrong-way driver in Darke County
- Police investigating reported shooting in Dayton neighborhood
- Former Ohio lawyer pleads guilty after giving out client information, lying to FBI agents about it
The firefighter was pulled over due to signs of impaired driving, according to the narrative provided by an officer with the Whitehall Division of Police.
After he was pulled over, the firefighter informed the officer that there was a firearm in his center console. The officer took the gun for safekeeping during the stop.
The police narrative stated that during a field sobriety test, the man reportedly showed signs that he had consumed alcohol before the operation of his vehicle.
He refused to provide a breath sample, according to police.
The firefighter was charged with OVI, OVI refusal with a prior conviction within 20 years, a marked lanes violation, and felony improper handling of a firearm, WBNS-10 TV reported.
According to the police document, the improper handling of a firearm charge stems from possessing a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle while being under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse, or a combination of them.
The felony charge was dismissed in Franklin County Municipal Court, WBNS-10 TV reported. However, it could potentially continue in the Court of Common Pleas at a later date.
A year prior, the firefighter was pulled over for a similar occurrence. He was found guilty on Sept 26, 2024, after he was charged with an OVI.
The conviction stems from when he was pulled over and arrested by a Columbus Division of Police officer on South Weyant Ave on Jan. 20, 2024.
He was ordered to pay a $300 fine, and his license was suspended from Jan. 20, 2024, until Jan. 18, 2025, according to court records.
“The Columbus Fire Fighters Union takes these charges very seriously. We have full confidence in the investigatory and disciplinary process led by the City and adjudicated by the Director of Public Safety,” President of the Columbus Fire Fighters Union, Steven Stein wrote in a statement. “This matter deserves—and will receive—a thorough review under the City’s established procedures.”
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
