COLUMBUS — A firefighter was terminated from the Columbus Division of Fire after pleading guilty to operating a vehicle while impaired. Given his past criminal history, questions are emerging as to why he was hired in the first place.
On May 3rd, around 2:30 a.m. Saxon Angell-Perez was arrested after Columbus police officers saw a black pickup truck hit traffic cones in the Short North area, according to our news partners, WBNS.
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Body cameras show officers trying to initiate a traffic stop on the truck, but the truck pulled into a parking lot, where the occupants of the truck ran.
In the video, Angell-Perez tells officers that he is a Columbus firefighter and that he ran because of adrenaline.
The body camera footage shows Angel-Perez refusing field sobriety tests and speaking aggressively toward officers. Officers spent three hours trying to get Angell-Perez to comply with the test before taking him to the hospital for a blood draw.
Angell-Perez pleaded guilty to the OVI charges in the Franklin County Municipal Court.
The Columbus Division of Fire charged him in July with dishonesty, attendance violations, neglect of duty, and failure of good behavior. Angell-Perez was terminated in October.
Angell-Perez was hired in June 2022. On his application, he admits to taking Adderall in 2016 and pleading guilty to felony charges.
According to court records, in 2020, Angell-Perez pleaded guilty to drug abuse, felony cocaine possession, and a misdemeanor hazing charge. In the court records, prosecutors in Athens County said Angel-Perez provided cocaine to fraternity pledges and participated in hazing involving Ohio University student Collin Wiant and others.
News Center 7 previously reported that Wiant died after multiple rounds of hazing at his Ohio University fraternity in 2018.
Angell-Perez completed the Athens County Empowerment program, which allowed participants to complete community service and have their cases dismissed.
The Civil Service Commission background removal standards for the Columbus Division of Fire say that applicants will be removed from eligibility for any admissions or convictions of a felony as an adult. However, Angell-Perez was not removed.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said he was unaware of Angel-Perez’s background and, in a statement, said, “As dangerous and reckless as the prior offense was, Ohio law prevented Director Clark from using it to disqualify this individual’s application for employment. As soon as the May 2025 instance of misconduct was identified, Director Pishotti acted to terminate Mr. Angell-Perez for dishonesty, attendance, neglect of duty, and failure of good behavior. I support Director Pishotti’s judgment and the actions she took to terminate this individual from service to our city.”
Angell-Perez is appealing his termination and seeks to return to the Columbus Division of Fire.
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