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Fired Philly cop convicted of DUI, crashing car, pulling gun on witness

Kevin Klein, 37, was found guilty of simple assault, driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of an accident, the records say. He is scheduled to be sentenced in November.

Kevin Klein, 36, was convicted Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018 of simple assault, driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of an accident, according to court records.
Kevin Klein, 36, was convicted Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018 of simple assault, driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of an accident, according to court records.Read morePhiladelphia Police

A fired Philadelphia police officer was convicted Thursday of driving while intoxicated, crashing his car into another vehicle on Christmas Eve 2016, then driving away and pulling his service weapon on a man who chased him down, according to court records.

Kevin Klein, 37, was found guilty of simple assault, driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of an accident, the records say. He is scheduled to be sentenced in November.

Police said at the time of his arrest last year that Klein, a nine-year veteran of the force, had been off duty when his car struck another on the 6100 block of Passyunk Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia.

The driver of the car Klein hit, Steven Gilbert, drove after Klein when Klein fled the scene, according to a grand jury presentment detailing Klein's arrest. After a several-mile chase, the presentment said, Klein stopped and pulled his service weapon on Gilbert, who was with a friend.

Police who responded told grand jurors that they believed Klein appeared intoxicated, but they did not arrest him, test him for drugs or alcohol, or seek witnesses, according to the presentment. Instead, the presentment said, Sgt. Thomas Cairns — a supervisor called to the scene of the confrontation on the 3000 block of Penrose Avenue — "called for an officer from Klein's home district to transport him home."

Grand jurors wrote that Carins' testimony was "less than credible" and that it "seemed as if he was attempting to cover up Klein's actions."

Cairns remains on the force with a salary of $85,341, according to payroll records. Commissioner Richard Ross said in January that Internal Affairs was investigating the police response to the incident. The status of that probe was not clear Thursday evening.

Klein was suspended from the force with intent to dismiss when he was arrested last December. His attorney could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.