UC officer arrested on OVI charge

HAMILTON, Ohio (FOX19) - A University of Cincinnati police officer is on desk duty following his arrest on an OVI charge, UC officials confirmed Tuesday.

Andrew Mueller, 29, was arrested at a crash scene on Ohio 747 in Liberty Township at 11:57 p.m. Sunday, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

He was not involved in the crash, they said.

Troopers wrote in a criminal complaint that Mueller was driving a black, four-door 2004 Honda when he failed to yield to a police officer on Ohio 747 near Kyles Station Road, almost causing another crash. He stopped before striking a stopped OSP vehicle.

He “displayed numerous signs of intoxication. The defendant’s speech was very slurred, he could not maintain his balance and his eyes were very bloodshot. There was also a very strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his breath."

Court records show he refused tests to measure his level of intoxication, the record states.

Mueller was booked into the Butler County Jail about 1:30 a.m. Monday, jail records show.

He was arraigned in Butler County Area 2 Court via video from the jail Monday morning, court officials said.

Mueller was released on his own recognizance.

A lawyer entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf in court Wednesday morning.

A pretrial hearing is set for Feb. 20.

Other than confirming Mueller’s arrest and saying his police powers were suspended pending the outcome of the case, a UC spokeswoman provided no further information Tuesday.

We filed a public records request for his personnel file.

Mueller was one of several UC officers honored in an award ceremony in 2018 after they saved the life of a construction worker in medical distress on the main campus.

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