OLUMBUS – The Ohio State Highway Patrol is reporting 14 crashes resulting in 17 deaths on Ohio’s roadways during the 2024 Memorial Day weekend, according to provisional statistics. This is a decrease from last year, when 26 individuals were killed. The four-day reporting period began Friday, May 24 and ran through Monday, May 27.
During the reporting period, state troopers made 19,104 traffic enforcement contacts, including 361 impaired driving arrests, 61 drug arrests, 2,662 safety belt citations and 1,090 distracted driving citations. In addition, the Patrol made 9,779 non-enforcement contacts including 1,950 motorist assists.
Motorists are reminded that roadway safety is a shared responsibility and are encouraged to call #677 to report drug activity and dangerous or impaired driving.
For a statewide breakdown of enforcement and crashes during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, please click here.
UPDATE: Mason Rd from State Route 4 to Harris Rd is now re-opened and scene is clear.
Single Vehicle Injury Crash on West Mason Road in Erie County
OXFORD TOWNSHIP – The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a single vehicle injury crash, that occurred on May 25, 2024 at approximately 05:49 P.M. on West Mason Road near Harris Road in Oxford Township, Erie County.
Unit #1: John Jehle III, age 57, of Wakeman, Ohio was operating a 2014 Harley Davidson Street Glide. Mr. Jehle was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. He suffered serious injuries as a result of the crash and was transported to Toledo Promedica Hospital by Promedica Life Flight.
Details of Crash: Unit #1 was traveling eastbound on West Mason Road near Harris Road. Unit #1 failed to properly negotiate a curve, went off the right side of the roadway, overturned and struck a ditch.
Alcohol and/or drug use are not believed to be a factor at this time. The crash remains under investigation.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by Erie County Sheriff’s Office, North Central EMS, Groton Township Fire & EMS and Interstate Towing.
FOSTORIA – The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Norwalk Post is investigating a fatal crash involving a train in Loudon Township. The crash occurred today at approximately 1:30 p.m. on U.S. 224, just west of U.S. 23.
The preliminary investigation showed a Kia Soul, operated by Ellen Atherton, 72, Arlington, was driving northeast on U.S. 224 and went through a lowered railroad gate arm. The Kia was struck by a northbound CSX train and pushed off the left side of the roadway, before striking a utility pole.
Ellen Atherton and the front-seat passenger, Rex Atherton, 75, Arlington, suffered fatal injuries at the scene.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by the Seneca County
Sheriff’s Office, Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Bascom Joint Fire District,
Bascom EMS, Seneca County EMS, Seneca County Coroner’s Office, CSX Police Department, Seneca County Community Emergency Response Team and Keller Brothers Enterprise.
(WASHINGTON, D.C. & COLUMBUS, Ohio ) — Senator JD Vance and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost issued the following joint statement to express their concern that the U.S. Department of Justice’s recently announced settlement with Norfolk Southern could severely undercompensate the people of East Palestine. The DOJ’s announcement comes before the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was allowed to complete its investigation into the circumstances leading up to the derailment and the decision-making process which resulted in the “vent and burn” of derailed tanker cars.
“This federal settlement, reached prior to the completion of the NTSB’s investigation, risks undercompensating the residents of East Palestine,” said Senator Vance and Attorney General Yost. “The Department of Justice would have better served East Palestine and surrounding communities by negotiating against Norfolk Southern armed with all relevant facts surrounding the disaster—facts which can only be revealed by the NTSB. The residents of East Palestine deserve full compensation to account for the hardships they have faced in the months since the derailment, but they also deserve the full truth about why the derailment and vent and burn occurred. With its decision to reach a settlement now, the DOJ may have sacrificed its opportunity to use the NTSB’s findings to impose maximum leverage on those responsible for any potential wrongdoing. We are reviewing the now-public settlement proposal, but with so much unknown at this time, it is difficult to assess its impact. We will continue to do everything in our power to ensure those impacted by the derailment are made whole and to ensure anyone responsible for wrongdoing is held accountable.”
The Department of Justice has closely guarded the details of this settlement and did not make co-plaintiffs, including the State of Ohio, aware of crucial details before its public release today. This problem deserves more time and consideration as Ohio was only presented with this agreement today. Ohio, the state which bore the brunt of the damage caused by this derailment, should have been consulted on the details of the resulting settlement. It is not known why the DOJ failed to follow standard practice to do so.
Marion – Troopers from the Marion Post are investigating a fatal crash that occurred on May 14, 2024, at approximately 11:57 PM, on State Route 95 in Marion County.
The crash involved a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, driven by Shawna Kelson, age 38, of Marion, Ohio. The preliminary investigation indicates Ms. Kelson was traveling southbound on State Route 95 when her vehicle traveled left of the centerline and off the left side of the roadway. Once off road, the vehicle struck a tree and a utility pole before coming to rest. During the crash, Ms. Kelson was ejected from the vehicle.
Ms. Kelson was transported from the scene by Scioto Valley EMS to Marion General Hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased. Ms. Kelson was not wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Scioto Valley Fire and EMS, Marion Township Fire and EMS, Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, and Ed’s 24 Hour Towing.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — The Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission (OPOTC) has unanimously approved recommendations put forth by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Future of Police Training, signaling a significant step forward in transforming the training of Ohio law enforcement.
“Law enforcement officers face unprecedented challenges daily, and it’s our duty to equip them with the best-in-class training and support they deserve,” Yost said. “We have updated training in pieces, but now with the commission’s approval, we can wholistically overhaul the training criteria to better equip officers with the training and tools they need to protect themselves and Ohioans.”
The Blue Ribbon Task Force was convened by Attorney General Yost in the fall of 2023 to identify areas for improvement in basic and continuing peace officer training, determine recommended standards for new officers, outline expectations for instructors, and establish new training methods.
The seven primary recommendations that OPOTC has now approved are:
Amend the Peace Officer Basic Training (POBT) curriculum to reflect contemporary police services.
Establish certification levels to reflect an officer’s training and experience.
Create a Tactical Patrol Officer Program.
Add new technologies while incorporating elements of reality-based situational decision-making scenarios into both basic and advanced training.
Develop integrated lesson plans across training platforms.
Focus Continuing Professional Training (CPT) so that it keeps advancing police services.
Expand annual firearms qualifications.
The 11-member task force, chaired by OPOTA Executive Director Tom Quinlan, published a special report in February, outlining their recommendations and detailing suggested remedies.
Prior to the commission’s vote, Quinlan stressed that the recommendations do not represent a condemnation of prior state-approved training protocols, but rather provide an updated roadmap.
“It is important to note that the recommendations are interdependent, and the best results will be realized when the combined strategies complement one another over time,” Quinlan added.
Notably, the adopted recommendations require changes at the basic academy level, including adjustments to the physical fitness standards required to graduate. Academies will also see a substitution of 72 hours of outdated curriculum with new courses on active shooter and threat response, critical decision making, crisis mitigation and de-escalation, communications and mediation, and incident debrief.
The recommendations that would alter Peace Officer Basic Training will require amendments to the Ohio Administrative Code. Yost’s office will work with the General Assembly on necessary changes as part of the implementation process.
Marion – Troopers from the Marion Post are investigating a fatal crash that occurred on May 14, 2024, at approximately 11:57 PM, on State Route 95 in Marion County.
The crash involved a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, driven by Shawna Kelson, age 38, of Marion, Ohio. The preliminary investigation indicates Ms. Kelson was traveling southbound on State Route 95 when her vehicle traveled left of the centerline and off the left side of the roadway. Once off road, the vehicle struck a tree and a utility pole before coming to rest. During the crash, Ms. Kelson was ejected from the vehicle.
Ms. Kelson was transported from the scene by Scioto Valley EMS to Marion General Hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased. Ms. Kelson was not wearing her seatbelt at the time of the crash.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Scioto Valley Fire and EMS, Marion Township Fire and EMS, Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative, and Ed’s 24 Hour Towing.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — The Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission (OPOTC) has unanimously approved recommendations put forth by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on the Future of Police Training, signaling a significant step forward in transforming the training of Ohio law enforcement.
“Law enforcement officers face unprecedented challenges daily, and it’s our duty to equip them with the best-in-class training and support they deserve,” Yost said. “We have updated training in pieces, but now with the commission’s approval, we can wholistically overhaul the training criteria to better equip officers with the training and tools they need to protect themselves and Ohioans.”
The Blue Ribbon Task Force was convened by Attorney General Yost in the fall of 2023 to identify areas for improvement in basic and continuing peace officer training, determine recommended standards for new officers, outline expectations for instructors, and establish new training methods.
The seven primary recommendations that OPOTC has now approved are:
Amend the Peace Officer Basic Training (POBT) curriculum to reflect contemporary police services.
Establish certification levels to reflect an officer’s training and experience.
Create a Tactical Patrol Officer Program.
Add new technologies while incorporating elements of reality-based situational decision-making scenarios into both basic and advanced training.
Develop integrated lesson plans across training platforms.
Focus Continuing Professional Training (CPT) so that it keeps advancing police services.
Expand annual firearms qualifications.
The 11-member task force, chaired by OPOTA Executive Director Tom Quinlan, published a special report in February, outlining their recommendations and detailing suggested remedies.
Prior to the commission’s vote, Quinlan stressed that the recommendations do not represent a condemnation of prior state-approved training protocols, but rather provide an updated roadmap.
“It is important to note that the recommendations are interdependent, and the best results will be realized when the combined strategies complement one another over time,” Quinlan added.
Notably, the adopted recommendations require changes at the basic academy level, including adjustments to the physical fitness standards required to graduate. Academies will also see a substitution of 72 hours of outdated curriculum with new courses on active shooter and threat response, critical decision making, crisis mitigation and de-escalation, communications and mediation, and incident debrief.
The recommendations that would alter Peace Officer Basic Training will require amendments to the Ohio Administrative Code. Yost’s office will work with the General Assembly on necessary changes as part of the implementation process.
(EUCLID, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost issued the following statement regarding the death of Euclid Police Officer Jacob Derbin who was killed on Saturday evening in the line of duty.
“The promise to protect is signed with the blood of our officers. The killer who ambushed Officer Derbin will be found and will receive the full measure of justice.
It is a cruel irony that a mother lost her son on Mother’s Day, and that this murder happened just as we prepare to solemnize our fallen during Police Memorial Week. My heart burns with anger at this injustice, for the family of this young officer and the Euclid Police Department.”
Derbin was in his first year with the department.
The Euclid Police Department requested assistance from the Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation to investigate the officer-involved critical incident. BCI’s investigation is active and ongoing.
Governor DeWine Orders Flags Lowered in Honor of Euclid Police Officer Jacob Derbin
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)— In honor of the life and service of Euclid Police Officer Jacob Derbin, Governor Mike DeWine has ordered the flags of the United States and the state of Ohio to be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout Cuyahoga County and at the Ohio Statehouse, the Vern Riffe Center, and the Rhodes State Office Tower in Columbus today until sunset on the day of his funeral.
All other public buildings and grounds throughout the state may fly the flags of the United States and the State of Ohio at half-staff at their discretion for the same time period.
Joe Lyons •
May 28, 2024
