A Clay Township police sergeant was killed Friday morning, Oct. 16, in a crash on Ohio 51 in Ottawa County while he was responding to a separate crash, according to a Clay Township Police Department release shared by area outlets.
Sergeant Jacob Roesler, 26, died in the crash, which involved another vehicle, the department said. The other person involved in the crash was injured, according to the release, which did not describe that person’s condition. The Sandusky post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol was on the scene, and the investigation is being handled with the patrol’s involvement.
Roads in the area were closed after the crash and detours were set up for drivers, officials said. Toledo Edison was called to the scene to help with a utility pole that came down during the incident, adding to the work facing crews in western Ottawa County on Friday morning.
Assisting the Highway Patrol at the scene were the Clay Township Police Department, the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office and the Ottawa County Coroner’s Office. Patrol reconstruction and duty officers were also notified, according to the earlier on-scene reporting. No cause for the crash has been released.
Roesler served with the Clay Township Police Department for three years. In its release, the department described him as a dedicated public servant who made a lasting impact on the department and on the community he served, and noted that he loved the outdoors, his family, his friends and his dog.
The department said it is mourning alongside Roesler’s family, friends and fellow officers, and it is also keeping the other injured person in its thoughts. It asked the public to keep Roesler’s loved ones, the department’s members and the wider law enforcement community in their thoughts and prayers during what it called an incredibly difficult time.
The Patrol has not yet released additional details about how the crash happened or about the other driver’s injuries. Further information is expected as the investigation continues, and any funeral or memorial arrangements for Sergeant Roesler had not been announced as of Friday afternoon. Drivers who use Ohio 51 in the Genoa and Clay Township area should continue to check for any remaining restrictions before traveling.