Wife of ex-Dayton police officer in probe has history of drug offenses

UPDATE @ 8:30 p.m. (July 8): A former Dayton police officer abruptly resigned from the force on Sunday, three days before he claimed he was being held hostage Wednesday night at the Plaza Motel.

Kyle Watts cited “severe family issues” in his resignation notice, police said.

Just before 9 p.m. Wednesday, a man who identified himself as Ron Watts called 911 and told a dispatcher his son, Kyle Watts, might be held hostage at the Plaza Motel,. The caller said his son went to the motel to buy heroin for his drug-addicted wife, according to an audio recording of the 911 call. Police evacuated the motel at 1728 Stanley Ave., and the caller was found safe. However, prosecutors are expected to review charges in the case.

Watts and his wife, 27-year-old Kirsten Watts, are listed as the complainants from the Dayton police report from Wednesday night. Kirsten Watts has a history of drug-related crimes.

On April 4, a woman who called 911 said her daughter-in-law, Kirsten Watts, was being held against her will at the Liberty Motel in Harrison Twp. The caller said she tried to retrieve Watts, but the men would not let her leave because she owed them $600 for drugs. Deputies responded to the hotel at 4101 Keats Drive. Inside, they found Watts with a needle sticking out of her shirt, which she admitted she used to inject heroin, according to the report. She said she was not being held against her will but said she owed $600 for two days of drug use. Deputies arrested her for possession of a drug abuse instrument and released her to her husband. She later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, which was suspended on the condition she have no criminal drug or alcohol offenses for two years, according to Vandalia Municipal Court records.

Last August, Watts was convicted in Miamisburg Municipal Court for possession of drug abuse instruments. She received a suspended jail sentence of 30 days and was placed on probation, court records show.

Prosecutors expect to review

UPDATE @ 6:55 p.m. (July 7): A former Dayton policeman is the person who claimed he was being held hostage at gunpoint at the Plaza Motel on Wednesday night, police department officials said, and he could be charged with inducing panic for his actions.

Police department officials confirmed that Kyle Watts, named in a police incident report as the complainant, was hired as police recruit in February 2012 and sworn in on Aug. 27, 2012. Watts resigned, effective July 3.

Just before 9 p.m. Wednesday, a man who identified himself as Ron Watts called 911 and told a dispatcher his son, Kyle Watts, might be held hostage at the Plaza Motel, according to an audio recording of the 911 call.

UPDATE @12:47 p.m. (July 7): A 911 caller said his son might be held hostage at gunpoint at the Plaza Motel, according to an audio recording of the call.

According to the 911 call, the man said his son went to the motel to buy drugs for his heroin-addicted wife and the drug dealer took his car keys and wanted $300 to get them back.

The 911 dispatcher asked the caller if he could text his son to get more information about what room he was staying in and other details, but the man said he believed the drug dealer had his son’s phone.

The caller said his son asked him to bring $300 to the McDonald’s across the street and drop it off so he could get his car back. The son told his father the drug dealer threatened to kill him if he called the police, according to the 911 call.

UPDATE @ 10:48 p.m. (July 6): A person who claimed they were being held hostage at the Plaza Motel is safe and sound, but likely to be charged with inducing panic, Dayton police Lt. Joseph Wiesman said.

The investigation is continuing, he said, and charges could be pursued against more people once police determine who all was involved.

Wiesman said police evacuated the motel, 1728 Stanley Ave., when they arrived on a call from a family member that someone was being held against their will. Police, not knowing which room the person was in, locked down the motel and located the person.

A bullhorn was used at one point by police in what looked like a standoff, which appeared to come to an end sometime after 10:30 p.m.

“It’s preliminary,” the lieutenant said, “but it’s looking like maybe there was a drug deal gone bad.

“Maybe it was a ploy to get money for drugs, saying they were being held hostage and wanted family members to bring money. The family did the right thing and called police,” he said.

FIRST REPORT

Police are involved in an apparent standoff at the Plaza Motel on Stanley Avenue.

Our videographer on scene says the situation has ended and we are awaiting an explanation from Dayton police officials.

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