A Cleveland police officer is facing charges after authorities say he crashed his car into a North Olmsted pizza restaurant while driving under the influence early Wednesday morning.
According to North Olmsted police, officers responded to a crash at Romeo’s Pizza on Lorain Road around 2:45 a.m. They found a silver Volkswagen Jetta that had struck the north side of the building. The driver, identified as Officer Gary Eugene Kane II, a nine-year veteran of the Cleveland Division of Police, was still inside the vehicle when officers arrived.
A witness told reporters he called 911 after seeing the car lodged into the building. He said Kane appeared intoxicated and was listening to music when bystanders approached to check on him.
Police assisted Kane from the vehicle and reported smelling alcohol and noticing his eyes appeared glossy. Officers said he refused field sobriety tests and later declined a blood test. He was taken to St. John Medical Center for evaluation before being cited for operating a vehicle under the influence and failure to control.
Kane is scheduled to appear in North Olmsted Mayor’s Court on August 21 at 5 p.m.
In a statement, Cleveland police confirmed Kane’s arrest and said the incident happened while he was off duty and outside city limits. Internal Affairs will monitor the case, and Kane has been placed on restricted duty until the court process is resolved.
Kane joined the department in 2015 and was most recently assigned to the Fifth District’s patrol section.
No injuries were reported in the crash.