An off-duty Cleveland police officer has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after his vehicle collided with a pizza shop in North Olmsted, officials said. The incident, which involved a silver Volkswagen Jetta driven by Gary Eugene Kane II, took place at Romeo’s Pizza located at 28931 Lorain Road, during the early hours yesterday morning.
Police were dispatched around 2:46 a.m., following a call from Emron Obbasov, who witnessed the car embedded in the side of the establishment and alerted authorities. As reported by Cleveland19, responding officers found Kane's vehicle crashed into the north side of Romeo’s Pizza.
According to body-worn camera footage cited by FOX8, officers instructed Kane several times to switch off the vehicle. Instead, he activated the windshield wipers, sending shards of glass scattering before finally turning the engine off and handing over the keys. Upon extraction from the passenger-side door, Kane exhibited signs of impairment, including glossy eyes and the smell of alcohol. He declined to take a field sobriety test and also refrained from responding to questions from the police.
Kane was arrested for misdemeanor counts of operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and failure to control. Despite being read his Miranda rights, Kane did not acknowledge his understanding. He was taken to University Hospitals St. John Medical Center, where he refused a blood test, as confirmed by a report obtained from WKYC. A court appearance is scheduled for Today, Aug. 21.
The circumstances surrounding the incident continue to be under investigation by local authorities. The Cleveland Police Department has yet to release an official statement regarding Officer Kane's arrest and the consequent legal proceedings.
