“I’m a block away. … I’m the fire chief of Middletown, man, man, I’m sorry,” 55-year-old Paul Lolli said to a trooper from the Ohio State Highway Patrol after he was pulled over just before 1:30 a.m. Dec. 16 while driving his Dodge Ram pickup truck.
Lolli, who said he only had two beers to drink, said he couldn’t do a field sobriety test. He also refused to take a Breathalyzer test. He was arrested on suspicion of OVI and was released to a relative. He is due in court Jan. 24 and is on administrative leave.
FIRST REPORT (Dec. 22)
The career of Middletown’s fire chief may be in jeopardy after he was charged with OVI and speeding last week by the State Highway Patrol.
Paul Lolli, a 25-year veteran of the Middletown Division of Fire, was placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation into his OVI charge, city leaders confirmed to the Journal-News.
Lolli, 55, was stopped at 1:26 a.m. Dec. 16 by the State Highway Patrol and charged with OVI and speeding, according to Les Landen, the city’s law director. Lolli was driving 44 miles per hour in a posted 35 mph zone near Central Avenue and Arcadia Drive, according to the OSHP police report. Lolli refused to take a field sobriety test, the report said.
Landen said the city is investigating the allegations and plans to complete its internal investigation before the end of the year.
Landen said Lolli has cooperated during the investigation and he’s being represented by Middletown attorney Paris Ellis.
Lolli, who was hired as fire chief last year, is scheduled to have his pretrial hearing Jan. 24 in Middletown Municipal Court. An outside prosecutor will be hired to handle the case, according to Landen.
Lolli’s salary last year was $107,973, according to city records. He has no prior disciplinary issues in his personnel file, according to Landen.
Assistant Fire Chief Tom Snively is running the department in Lolli’s absence, Landen said.