LORAIN, Ohio -- A Lorain police officer charged with domestic violence after he was accused of choking, tackling and pinning his wife to the floor has a history of run-ins with police when he's drunk, according to a copy of his personnel file obtained by cleveland.com.

James Connell's file shows three other incidents involving alcohol and police, not including the most recent charges he faces with the incident involving his wife.

Connell was stopped Aug. 9, 2014 by the Garrettsville Police Department for a traffic violation, according to a copy of a July 12, 2015 letter from Lorain police Chief Cel Rivera.

"What was clear at the hearing to all those involved was that you obviously had a drinking problem; in fact, you so admitted," Rivera wrote.

Officers determined that Connell was drunk during the stop, according to the letter. The officers drove Connell and a friend to their police department and allowed him to "sober up" before driving again. Lorain police were notified by the department, the letter says.

Connell was placed on a three-day unpaid suspension. He was required to do outpatient alcohol treatment and submit himself to random BAC testing, the letter says.

Connell was the subject of another incident in January 2014 when he was trying to walk home at night while intoxicated, the letter says.

Another incident happened in May 2014 when officers were called for a noise complaint. When they arrived they found Connell drunk and driving an ATV, the letter says. The letter does not say where the incident took place.

Connell attended AA meetings, his personnel file shows. A letter dated June 23, 2015 says that Connell was sober for one year, completed his alcohol treatment and recently started a family.

Connell's employee performance evaluations in his file show that he was rated either exceptional, above standard or meets standard on different characteristics in categories. An Aug. 18, 2014 document says his actual work performance is very good, but was critical of his off-the-clock behavior.

"However, the Off-duty incidents that you have had recently have a negative effect on our Team," the document says. "Such as loss of manpower which decreases our ability to deploy our team members effectively to accomplish not only Team 6 but also Department goals."

Connell faces a domestic violence charge in the early morning March 22 incident that took place at his home after his son's birthday party.

Connell's wife suffered swelling and bruising on her left arm, a raised red mark on the left side of her neck and a split lower lip in the attack, a police report says.

Connell and his wife got into an argument after she caught him sending text messages to another woman, the report says. His wife told police he got argumentative after drinking all day.

Connell's final pretrial hearing for the domestic violence case is scheduled for 10 a.m. June 19 in Lorain Municipal Court. The jury trial is scheduled 8:45 a.m. June 26.

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