The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Sandusky Post is investigating a two-vehicle fatal crash involving a Clay Township Police Department Officer that occurred in Ottawa County on Friday morning.
At approximately 6:37 a.m., Sgt. Jacob Roesler, 26, of the Clay Township Police Department, was traveling southbound on Ohio 51 in a Ford Explorer cruiser with emergency overhead lights activated while responding to a crash. The cruiser entered the intersection of Route 51 and Ohio 795 when it was struck by a Chevrolet Tahoe, operated by Ryan Blankenship, 41, of Perrysburg. Following the impact, both vehicles traveled off the southeast corner of the roadway, where the cruiser struck a metal pole and the Tahoe struck a telephone pole.
Roesler was pronounced deceased at the scene. Blankenship was transported by ground ambulance to ProMedica Bay Park Hospital with minor injuries.
The Patrol was assisted on scene by the Clay Township Police Department, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Department of Transportation, Elmore Village Police Department, Genoa Police Department, Allen-Clay Joint Fire District, FirstEnergy’s Toledo Edison and the Ottawa County Coroner’s Office.
The crash remains under investigation.
