Dayton firefighter in OVI arrest: ‘Do you know how many lives I’ve saved?’

HARRISON TWP., Montgomery County — UPDATE @ 3:30 p.m. (Feb. 26):

A Dayton firefighter on Saturday was arrested on suspicion of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and driving while intoxicated, which is his third arrest for OVI in the last four years, according to police and court records.

Jacob Freels, 36, was taken into custody on the 1900 block of Bartley Road after a Butler Twp. police officer spotted him standing next to a white pickup truck he had reportedly crashed into a DP&L pole, according to a report.

The police officer said Freels appeared highly intoxicated and had trouble keeping his balance and answering questions and had slurred speech, the report states.

Freels declined to take a field sobriety test or breath test for alcohol, according to the incident report, and at one point, Freels said, “Do you know how many lives I’ve saved.”

Police released Freels to his wife at the scene. But about 90 minutes later, Butler Township police were called to the Steak N Shake on Miller Lane about a stolen vehicle.

Freels' sister told police she left her brother in the car as she went into the restaurant to pick up food and he drove off with her vehicle, a report states.

Police located Freels at his home and arrested him for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, the report states.

A spokeswoman for the city of Dayton confirmed Freels was hired as a firefighter in September of 2007. Freels was terminated in April 2015, but rehired in August 2015 after a civil service appeal.

This newsroom has requested to review Freels personnel file.

In February 2014, Freels pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated in Vandalia Municipal Court, court records show. The actual arrest occurred in late November 2013. Freel’s driver’s license was suspended from November 2013 to May 2014, with special conditions, the records show.

He was sentenced to one year of probation.

In July 2015, he pleaded guilty to an amended charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated in Montgomery County municipal court, records show.

His license was suspended for six months, with work privileges. He served 26 days in jail, the records show.

More recently, in October, Dayton police were called to a home near the Northridge Estates on a report of a domestic dispute, a police report shows.

A 34-year-old woman told police that Freels had come home intoxicated and broke his phone and was argumentative, the report states.

The woman has a child with Freels and has lived with him for seven years, the report states. The woman said Freels took her car and house keys and then left in his truck. Police told the woman that it is shared property and “there isn’t anything we can do about the keys,” the report states.

Police tried to locate him but were unsuccessful.

In 2010, Freels’ then-estranged wife told police her husband had made suicide threats after throwing and breaking his cell phone, a police report said.

She told police they had argued a lot recently and he had been coming home highly intoxicated, the report states.

The woman told police Freels had punched and damaged several doors during their arguments, the report states.

She said Freels began drinking heavily after responding to a car crash where five people died, including a baby that fell out of the vehicle while he was on scene, the report states.

Police located Freels, who admitted to making a suicidal threat.

He was taken to Grandivew Hospital where he was admitted on emergency status for wanting to harm himself, the report says.

UPDATE @ 3:01 p.m. (Feb. 26):

A spokeswoman for the city of Dayton confirmed Jacob Freels was hired as a firefighter in September of 2007.

Freels was terminated in April 2015, but rehired in August 2015 after a civil service appeal. This newsroom has requested to review Freels personnel file.

UPDATE @ 1:01 p.m. (Feb. 26):

A Dayton firefighter arrested on suspicion of OVI and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle asked deputies, “Do you know how many lives I’ve saved,” according to an incident report.

Jacob Freels, 36, was taken into custody in the 1900 block of Bartley Road after a Butler Twp. police officer spotted him standing next to a white pickup truck he had reportedly crashed into a DP&L pole while responding to a separate incident, according to a report.

Freels was arrested on Saturday around 10:45 p.m.

According to the report, Freels appeared to be highly intoxicated and could not keep his balance walking.

The 36-year-old refused a field sobriety test and a breath test prior to his arrest.

According to deputies, Freels has two prior convictions for OVI including one in 2014 and another in 2015.

INITIAL REPORT:

A Dayton firefighter was arrested Sunday and charged with OVI and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

Jacob A. Freels, 36, was arrested on Bartley Road and initially booked into the Montgomery County Jail, according to jail records. He was no longer an inmate on Monday morning.

Freels was scheduled to appear in Vandalia Municipal Court this morning, however his appearance was continued and he is now scheduled to appear on March 5.

We’re working to learn more.