Akron police 3

Akron police are investigating after an off-duty Hills and Dale police officer fired shots at a suspected drunken driver, who hit his car twice and nearly ran him over trying to flee.

(File photo)

AKRON, Ohio -- An off-duty Stark County police officer fired several gunshots at a suspected drunken driver who rear-ended his car and hit him with her car as she drove off, police said.

Hills and Dales Sgt. Robert Lowe, 37, was treated and released from Akron City Hospital, according to Hills and Dales Police Chief Chad Lebold. The five-year veteran of the police department is on previously scheduled medical leave, Lebold said.

The other driver, Charleen Lemaster, 28, of Akron, is charged with drunken driving, hit-skip and other traffic offenses. Akron police are investigating to see if more charges are warranted.

Lowe about 7 p.m. Sunday was driving with his wife and two young kids westbound on Gilchrist Road near Skelton Road when Lemaster rear-ended the officer's 2003 Chevy Trailblazer twice, according to Akron Police Lt. Rick Edwards said.

Lowe and his wife got out of their car to check to see if Lemaster was injured. Lemaster started driving away in her silver 1998 Buick and hit the officer, causing him to roll up on the hood of Lemaster's car.

Lowe fired several shots. The bullets struck her car but didn't hit Lemaster. The officer's wife drove him to Akron City Hospital.

Lemaster drove on Interstate 76 westbound until she rear-ended a 2003 Astro Van near the East Market Street exit, Edwards said. She took the Market Street exit and stopped in the middle of the off-ramp. Akron police arrested her there.

Officers noted she had an open alcohol container in her puruse.

She was taken to Akron City Hospital, where she was treated and released, Edwards said.

Lemaster admitted to drinking prior to the crash, according to court records. Police noted she also had glassy and blood-shot eyes and smelled of alcohol.

It's her second drunken driving arrest since 2012. Akron police are still investigating the incident to see if charges could be filed against Lowe, Edwards said.

Lebold said his department is conducting an internal investigation to see if the shooting was justified. He said he's still waiting on more information from Akron police.

He declined to discuss if Lowe had any disciplinary history with the department. Lowe previously worked for Waynesburg police.

Edwards said the shooting is not being treated as an officer-involved shooting since Lowe was not on duty at the time of the incident.