Police: Drunken Driver Causes Crash, Found With Gun

A Maple Heights man was charged with a felony after found a gun on him during a drunken driving accident on Aug. 17.

According to police, Kenneth Cifra, 22, was involved in an car accident around 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of East Aurora Road and Church Street.

As police arrived on the scene, they were told by dispatch that Cifra had a concealed carry permit and could have a gun on him. According to Ohio law, permit holders must notify police if they're carrying a weapon before being searched.

In this instance, Cifra failed to mention his loaded .38 revolver under his shirt during a police search.

Police could smell alcohol on his breath, according to the report, and he said he had four or five beers at 8 a.m. that morning, "for breakfast."

Police said he failed the field sobriety tests and was arrested for drunken driving. He later blew .205 in the breathalyzer, well beyond the legal blood-alcohol limit of .08.

Cifra was charged with improper handling firearms in a car (a felony), using weapons while drunk (a misdemeanor) and carrying concealed weapons (a misdemeanor).