Two OSP Troopers Killed

Status
Not open for further replies.

mmartinfan

Member
Banned
Joined
Dec 8, 2002
Messages
1,151
Location
In a house in Ohio
http://www.10tv.com/?story=sites/10tv/content/pool/200609/289339293.html


Two Troopers Killed In Accident
Sep 28 2006 9:03AM
Two Ohio State Patrol troopers were killed in a two-car accident in Gallipolis around 6:00 a.m. Thursday.

The driver of the other vehicle was also killed.

The accident occurred in Gallipolis at Jackson Pike and Mitchell Road. Gallipolis is located along the Ohio River about 105 miles southeast of Columbus.

Troopers add that the accident was not the result of a pursuit.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol will hold a news conference at 11:30 a.m. The briefing will be at the Gallipolis Patrol Post, 396 Jackson Pike.


Stay tuned to WBNS-10TV and 10TV.com for more information.


salute%20leo.gif
 
Last edited:

red8

Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2004
Messages
700
Location
denham springs la.
Anytime an officer dies in the line of duty it is sad. law enforcement
officers are a special breed; a brotherhood of men and women that depend on each other and rely on each other when the situation gets
hot and heavy. I wish to offer my condolences to the families of the two troopers and the Ohio Highway Patrol.
 

CVPI4Ever

Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2004
Messages
844
Location
Ohio
red8 said:
Anytime an officer dies in the line of duty it is sad. law enforcement
officers are a special breed; a brotherhood of men and women that depend on each other and rely on each other when the situation gets
hot and heavy. I wish to offer my condolences to the families of the two troopers and the Ohio Highway Patrol.
+1. RIP
 

Dubbin

Member
Feed Provider
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
4,462
Location
Findlay Ohio
What a terrible tragedy. Some seem to have missed that a 32 year old lady was also killed in this accident. My thoughts go out to all 3 families.
 

Dubbin

Member
Feed Provider
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
4,462
Location
Findlay Ohio
This sounds like the trooper driving was at fault.

"They also say the cruiser, driven by Trooper Risner with passenger Sgt. Holcomb, was heading east and Smith was in her pickup truck heading west.

The two vehicles collided in the westbound lane."

By looking at the damage it looks like the trooper lost control, spun around and backed into the pickup.
 

mlinthicum

Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2002
Messages
95
Location
Springfield, Ohio
OSP released additional information today. Here is the Media Release from the OSP website:


Ohio State Highway Patrol
Media Release

General Headquarters — Columbus, Ohio



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For Immediate Release: October 13, 2006
Contact: Lt. Tony Bradshaw or Sgt. Jon Payer (614) 752-2792




Patrol reports additional details of Gallia County
triple-fatality crash investigation


COLUMBUS – Ohio State Highway Patrol investigators said today they have determined additional details involving the triple-fatality crash in Gallia County at approximately 5:50 a.m. on Sept. 28, which claimed the lives of two Patrol officers, and a Gallia County woman.

Investigators have determined the 2005 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor patrol car, being driven by Tpr. Joshua P. Risner, with Sgt. Dale R. Holcomb riding as a passenger, was traveling between 60 and 71 mph eastbound on Jackson Pike, with its emergency lights and siren activated. The vehicle lost control, spun into the westbound lane, and struck the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado, being driven by Lori Smith. Ms. Smith was traveling between 10 to 20 mph and moving to the right at the approach of the Patrol car.

A blood test conducted as part of the autopsy of Tpr. Risner, drawn from the body’s deep cavity area, indicates a blood alcohol concentration of .08 (BAC). An earlier sample drawn from the jugular vein area tested .000 BAC. Ms. Smith’s toxicology showed no alcohol was present. However, Ms. Smith’s blood test did show marijuana metabolites present, below the per se limit in Ohio. Sgt. Holcomb’s blood test was negative. The Patrol has launched a separate but related investigation to determine when and where Risner could have ingested alcohol.

The collision occurred in the westbound lane of Jackson Pike, just west of Mitchell Road. Tpr. Risner had just picked up Sgt. Holcomb at his residence. Tpr. Risner was approaching the end of his shift and Sgt. Holcomb was beginning his shift. Investigators said while radio traffic from Tpr. Risner or Sgt. Holcomb does not indicate why or where the officers were heading, timelines of radio traffic from other officers, including an off-duty trooper who was transporting his un-responsive infant son to the hospital in a cruiser, lead them to believe Tpr. Risner and/or Sgt. Holcomb overheard the radio traffic and were enroute toward the hospital or toward the route that the off-duty trooper would have taken to the hospital.

The impact and damage to both vehicles was described by investigators as massive. A resulting fire from the crash significantly burned both vehicles. Reports from the State Fire Marshall and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding the cause of the fire are pending. No information has been able to be retrieved from either vehicle black box to this point because of the damage from the fire and impact.

Sgt. Holcomb, 45, was a 21-year Patrol veteran, and Tpr. Risner, 29, was a seven-year Patrol veteran; both were assigned to the Gallipolis Patrol Post. Lori Smith, 32, was from Vinton.

# # #

06-208


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

www.statepatrol.ohio.gov A division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety


Media Releases
Newsroom
 

Dubbin

Member
Feed Provider
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
4,462
Location
Findlay Ohio
I see a MAJOR lawsuit coming from this. I hope the ladies family nails the state hard on this one.
 

red8

Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2004
Messages
700
Location
denham springs la.
That is terrible, were they enroute to wreck when this happened?
I remember seeing a a thread on the accident. It's no wonder the
investigatiors on at the scene were tight lipped about the deal. I
mean there's a time to speak and a time not to. I can say massive
lawsuit. Why did they let that man drive if he injested alcohol.
it don't look good in the Buckeye
red8
 

wa8pyr

Technischer Guru
Staff member
Lead Database Admin
Joined
Sep 22, 2002
Messages
6,982
Location
Ohio
Dubbin said:
I see a MAJOR lawsuit coming from this. I hope the ladies family nails the state hard on this one.

Don't jump to conclusions. There are legitimate reasons for having alcohol in your blood, and a lab error is not outside the realm of possibility either. Let the investigation run it's course before you jump on the lawsuit bandwagon.
 

SLWilson

Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2004
Messages
1,221
Location
Ohio
Alcohol....

wa8pyr said:
Don't jump to conclusions. There are legitimate reasons for having alcohol in your blood, and a lab error is not outside the realm of possibility either. Let the investigation run it's course before you jump on the lawsuit bandwagon.

The Troopers Union is disputing the alcohol content. The autopsy WASN'T DONE for over 60 hours after the death!!!! Google and look up what hapens to a body that hasn't been embalmed as it begins to decay!!! Steve :(
 

steveh552

Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2005
Messages
335
Location
Canal Winchester Ohio
wa8pyr said:
Don't jump to conclusions. There are legitimate reasons for having alcohol in your blood, and a lab error is not outside the realm of possibility either. Let the investigation run it's course before you jump on the lawsuit bandwagon.


That sounds so much like a union rep talking. No matter what the reason, if you have enough in your system to be legally drunk, then you should not be driving a car, I dont care if your 16 or 97, a cop or not.
 

wa8pyr

Technischer Guru
Staff member
Lead Database Admin
Joined
Sep 22, 2002
Messages
6,982
Location
Ohio
steveh552 said:
That sounds so much like a union rep talking. No matter what the reason, if you have enough in your system to be legally drunk, then you should not be driving a car, I dont care if your 16 or 97, a cop or not.

Not a union rep, just someone who thinks this country is far too litigious for it's own good. Let the investigation run it's course before you jump to conclusions. How do you know the guy was drinking? To get that kind of BAC there had to be some pretty serious drinking going on, and he may not have had time during a busy shift for that kind of nonsense.

And as Steve said in the previous post, the autopsy wasn't conducted until 60+ hours after death had occurred. Not trying to be too clinical about it, but decomp does things to a body that can cause high alcohol content, as can fermentation of food products a person ate before they died, as well as a number of other factors. Also, why was there a high BAC content only in one place but not in another? Blood settling would certainly cause that to happen to a certain extent, but zero BAC in one place and a high concentration in another doesn't look quite right. The investigation should turn up some facts, so let it run it's course before making up your mind.

It's a sad situation all the way around, no matter what happened, and to jump to conclusions just makes it even more so.
 

k9gunner

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2005
Messages
2
Location
Ohio
First off, the trooper tested .000 on teh first test, and .08 3 days later. Lets also remember the lady in the truck tested positive for marijuana in her system also.

COLUMBUS – Ohio State Highway Patrol investigators said today they have determined additional details involving the triple-fatality crash in Gallia County at approximately 5:50 a.m. on Sept. 28, which claimed the lives of two Patrol officers, and a Gallia County woman.



A blood test conducted as part of the autopsy of Tpr. Risner, drawn from the body’s deep cavity area, indicates a blood alcohol concentration of .08 (BAC). An earlier sample drawn from the jugular vein area tested .000 BAC. Ms. Smith’s toxicology showed no alcohol was present. However, Ms. Smith’s blood test did show marijuana metabolites present. Sgt. Holcomb’s blood test was negative. The Patrol has launched a separate but related investigation to determine when and where Risner could have ingested alcohol.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top