Miami County’s fallen officers honored at annual memorial
Miami County’s fallen officers honored at annual memorial
People of all ages gathered on the Miami County Courthouse Plaza to honor the county’s fallen law enforcement officers during the annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service on May 7. The service included prayers, remarks, and Taps. Flowers were placed at the memorial in recognition of the eight honored by the Law Enforcement Memorial. The memorial was dedicated in 1999 to law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty and those who continue to risk their lives daily.
The service recognizes and honors officers who have given their lives in Miami County and beyond, as well as their families. The occupation of an officer continues to come with many risks and dangers, said Jeff Waite, of the Troy Police Department and president of the county’s FOP Lodge #58.
Those honored on the memorial and during the service were:
Marshall Harvey Hake, Covington Police Department, January 12, 1917
Marshall Hake was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man on a warrant and minor violations of the law for nonpayment. The suspect, Albert Clark, was convicted of murder and Judge W. D. Jones ordered him to be executed before sunrise on June 22, 1917.
Patrolman George Eickmeyer, Tipp City Police Department, September 17, 1945
Patrol George Eickmeyer was killed when his patrol car was struck by a Baltimore and Ohio Railroad train at the German Street crossing at approximately 11:40 p.m. It is believed he was attempting to exit his patrol car when struck. Patrolman Eickmeyer served with the Tipp City Police Department for five years.
Lieutenant Noah Studebaker, Piqua Police Department, October 17, 1957
On May 28, 1949, Lieutenant Studebaker and Patrolman Ed Henderson were dispatched to a burglary in progress at Hemm Brothers Garage, 119 N. Main Street. As the officers approached the business, a man came out of the shadows and shot both officers. Studebaker never fully recovered from the multiple gunshot wounds and accepted a disability retirement on March 1, 1950. Studebaker’s health continued to decline until he died in October 1957.
Patrolman Jan Mulder II, Piqua Police Department, August 11, 1970
Patrolman Mulder was born in the Netherlands. As a child, he lived under the rule of the Nazis who occupied his homeland. During WWII his family aided Jewish families by hiding them from the Nazis.
On August 11, 1970, Patrolman Mulder was on foot patrol in Piqua’s downtown area. He saw a suspicious person entering the Fort Piqua Hotel and stopped him in the lobby. The man pulled a gun and fatally shot Patrolman Mulder. Before collapsing, Mulder was able to fire one shot at his attacker as he fled the scene. His assailant, identified as Sammy Cantrell, later died from that wound.
Sergeant William R. Morris, Miami County Sheriff’s Office, November 22, 1972
Sergeant Morris was shot and killed while responding to a call involving two juveniles on County Road 25A, just north of State Route 571 in Tipp City. Sergeant Morris ordered the juveniles to the ground at gunpoint. A 15-year-old male raised an M1 Carbine Rifle above his head, claiming it was unloaded. He then lowered the rifle, firing at Sergeant Morris.
Morris and the suspect circled the cruiser, each firing until Morris was hit and knocked into a ditch alongside the road. The juvenile jumped into the cruiser and drove a short distance before backing up and firing two more rounds at Morris.
The juvenile later took his own life while surrounded by other responding officers.
Detective Robert Taylor, Piqua Police Department, November 3, 1982
Detective Taylor joined the Piqua Police Department on September 9, 1956. He was the first officer to be appointed to the detective assignment. Taylor was the senior officer and wore the coveted #1 badge. He was also named the Piqua Police Officer of the Year in 1979.
After more than 26 years of service, Detective Taylor participated in department training exercises. After completing the strenuous course, he moved off the range. Shortly after, Taylor suffered a fatal heart attack. His fellow officers performed CPR. However, Taylor passed away late that night at the hospital.
Sergeant Robert L. Elliott, Miami County Sheriff’s Office, February 25, 1987
Sergeant Elliott worked for the Miami County Sheriff’s Department for 15 years. He was killed in the line of duty at the age of 36 while guarding a prisoner at Stouder Memorial Hospital. The prisoner had requested to take a shower. While Elliott was removing the prisoner’s restraints, he suddenly grabbed Elliott’s service weapon. A struggle ensued and the suspect shot Elliott. Sergeant Elliott was transferred to a Dayton hospital, where he later died.
The suspect escaped from the hospital and was located over the state line in Kentucky. There was a shootout between the suspect and Kentucky police. The suspect ended up taking his own life.
Inspector Kimra Skelton, Ohio State Highway Patrol, November 27, 2019.
Motor Carrier Enforcement Inspector (MCEI) Skelton was tragically killed during an on-duty traffic crash in Miami County. The crash occurred on Interstate 75 in the city of Troy. MCEI Skelton was parked in the crossover where her vehicle was struck by a Ford F-150 truck traveling northbound. The truck traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck Shelton’s patrol vehicle. The Ford truck driver sustained minor injuries and was transported to a Troy hospital.
MCEI Shelton had been a member of the State Patrol since October 2005.
Guest speaker was State Representative Rodney Creech of the 40th District. A former township trustee and county commissioner, he is the fourth generation to reside on his family farm in Preble County.
“We gather to ensure their names and values for which they lived for are never forgotten. The police memorial stands as a permanent tribute to the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty,” he said.
Although each fallen officer’s story is different, “the thread that ties them together is courage,” Creech said.
Law enforcement is not a job, it is a calling “a deep belief in serving something bigger than oneself,” he said. The sacrifice extends beyond the officer to family, coworkers, friends and the community, Creech said.
“We owe it to the fallen not to just remember them one day a year but to live in a way that honors their sacrifice,” he said.