Emil Whitis
sanduskyregister.com
Sandusky police Officer Mel Burns has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation into an argument with members of a motorcycle club at a bar.
Burns reportedly went to Margaritaville bar this past weekend while on duty and jumped into an argument between the Outlaw and Warthog motorcycle clubs, according to police.
Police Chief Jim Lang has refused to provide any details about the incident.
Sandusky police Lt. John Orzech is conducting the internal investigation, which was supposed to be completed Wednesday morning because Orzech went on vacation Tuesday. But Wednesday afternoon, there was still no word on the status of the investigation.
“I thought the investigation would be over by now,” Lang said. “But now I’m hoping it will be done next week.”
Unless another officer is assigned to complete the investigation, it’s not likely there will be any information until Orzech returns from vacation Sept. 13.
Burns was demoted from lieutenant to officer in 2008 after an incident at a Put-in-Bay bar while he was off duty. A jury cleared him of any criminal charges, although an outside investigation still spurred then-police Chief Kim Nuesse to demote him.
