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Jarod Dean, 24, hit by truck while clearing accident debris at 5:30 a.m. on state Route 8
By Jim Carney
and Kathy Antoniotti
Beacon Journal staff writers
Published on Tuesday, Jan 20, 2009
In his short career with the police, Boston Heights officer Jarod Dean made his mark at three Akron-area departments.
Dean, 24, of Hudson, was killed in the line of duty Monday when a small box truck struck him on state Route 8.
Lt. Eric Sheppard of the Ohio Highway Patrol said Dean was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sheppard said the officer, who was not married, was struck after being dispatched to clear debris from the road about 5:30 a.m. Monday.
John Gavelek, 51, of Garfield Heights, was operating a 2003 Isuzu box truck hauling vending machine material to Akron, when ''he failed to see officer Dean and struck him,'' the patrol reported.
Boston Heights Police Chief Joe Varga described Dean as very energetic. ''He wanted to get out there and do it,'' Varga said.
Dean had been a police officer for 21/2 years, previously working for Windham
village in Portage County and Waynesburg in Stark County.
He had been with the Boston Heights department since August, Varga said.
''He loved his job. He loved coming out here,'' Varga said.
John Dean, Jarod's brother, is a police officer in Hudson.
First on-duty death
Varga said Dean is the first police officer in the village to die in the line of duty. Dean was one of 15 officers in the department.
Varga said he met with the officer's family and they are making funeral arrangements.
The accident occurred near the Ohio Turnpike overpass. Sheppard said all southbound lanes of Route 8 in Boston Heights were closed until about 10 a.m.
Dean had his cruiser's flashing lights on and was parked in the left-turn southbound lane before Boston Mills road. He was removing debris from a previous accident, Varga said.
''He got out of the vehicle and was removing debris from in front of his car and moved out to the side of the car to move a little more debris,'' Varga said. ''At that time a truck struck him and he was pronounced dead at the scene.''
The highway patrol and the Summit County Crash Team are investigating, Varga said.
He called Dean an outstanding officer and said he had just joined a Fraternal Order of Police Lodge.
The chief said dashboard cameras recently were installed on police cruisers in Boston Heights, but the unit on Dean's car was not on at the time.
Varga said Dean loved working the overnight shift.
He arrived at work at 11 p.m. Sunday night, Varga said, and was scheduled to work until 7 a.m.
''He was a good kid,'' Varga said. ''Energetic.''
Dean worked about 36 hours a week for Boston Heights, Varga said.
''The guys are all having a rough time,'' he said of how Dean's comrades on the police force were handling his death.
Waynesburg Police Chief William Bath said Dean worked as a volunteer auxiliary officer eight to 16 hours a week for 14 months until October 2007, when Dean took a job in Windham.
''All he wanted to do was be a policeman,'' Bath said. ''That is what he lived and breathed.''
The flag at the Windham Village Police Department was lowered to half-staff Monday in honor of Dean.
Windham Village Police Chief Edward Perdian said he hired Dean in 2007. He described Dean, who worked part time there, as fun-loving.
''He was a good officer,'' Perdian said.
Dean was the second Summit County police officer to be killed in the line of duty in the past six months.
On July 13, Twinsburg police officer Joshua Miktarian, 33, of Tallmadge, was shot and killed during a traffic stop.
Miktarian was an 11-year veteran of Twinsburg's department.
Ashford Thompson, 23, of Twinsburg, has been charged with two counts of aggravated murder with death penalty specifications. The case is scheduled to go to trial in the spring.
911 Calls
Call 1: There's a policeman laying in the highway.
Call 2: A guy just told me he hit someone in his truck. It looked like a police officer.
Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com. Kathy Antoniotti can be reached at 330-996-3565 or kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com.
In his short career with the police, Boston Heights officer Jarod Dean made his mark at three Akron-area departments.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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akron, oh
Posted 04:31 AM, 01/20/2009
May he rest in peace and his family find some peace as well.
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 06:54 AM, 01/20/2009
May God welcome his soul into heaven and grant comfort to his family. This is just such a tragedy.
Posted 08:42 AM, 01/20/2009
To his family and brother and sister officers we pray for you. Thanks for your sacrifice to keep the public safe!
akron, oh
Posted 09:28 AM, 01/20/2009
I can't believe the truck driver was not charged. At least the report yesterday said he had not been. Accidental or not, he hit someone with his truck and took his life.
Barberton, OH
Posted 02:15 PM, 01/20/2009
The truck driver was probably looking at the flashers on the cruiser, and not paying attention to a human being in the road...That's why they call it an accident i guess...My prayers go out to his family & comrades.
Posted 02:44 PM, 01/20/2009
This truly is sad. Such a young one. I hope his family finds the strength to get through this tragedy.
Akron, OH
Posted 06:43 AM, 01/21/2009
@Lou Szer, I have not heard that they have closed the investigation. Have you?
Barberton, OH
Posted 08:22 AM, 01/21/2009
R.I.P Officer Dean
Posted 08:54 AM, 01/21/2009
I feel so bad for all involved. My problem is this though, if you're in the road clearing up an accident why is the highway not shut down for a brief period? This kind of thing can be avoided in the future.
