A Clay Township police sergeant was killed early Friday morning when his patrol cruiser was struck at an Ottawa County intersection while he raced to help at a separate crash. Sgt. Jacob Roesler, 26, was pronounced dead at the scene near Millbury, and the driver who struck him was treated for minor injuries.
At approximately 6:37 a.m., Roesler was driving a Ford Explorer cruiser southbound on State Route 51 with his emergency lights activated, responding to another crash, according to bgindependentmedia.org. His cruiser entered the intersection of Route 51 and Ohio 795 when it was struck by a Chevrolet Tahoe driven by 41-year-old Ryan Blankenship of Perrysburg. The Ohio State Highway Patrol's Sandusky Post is investigating the two-vehicle fatal crash.
Roesler was pronounced deceased at the scene, the outlet reported. Blankenship was transported by ground ambulance to ProMedica Bay Park Hospital with minor injuries, per the same account.
Sergeant Remembered for Three Years of Service
The Clay Township Police Department announced that Roesler died after the fatal crash while responding to the separate collision, and the department expressed condolences to his family, friends, fellow officers and the broader law enforcement community. Sgt. Jacob Roesler had served with the department for three years and graduated from Owens Community College in 2023, according to thefostoriafreepress.com.
In a statement carried by the Fostoria Free Press, the department called Roesler “a dedicated public servant who made a lasting impact on our department and the community he swore to protect.” The department also said that Roesler loved his family, his friends, his dog and the outdoors.
Roadway Closed for Hours Near Millbury
The crash forced the closure of State Route 51 in both directions between Williston Road and West Moline Martin Road while crews worked the scene, the Fostoria Free Press reported. Another person was injured in the crash alongside Roesler's death.
No charges had been announced as of Friday's reporting, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol's investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
