The "Fallen Police Flag" flying at half mast tonight in honor of Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper Kenneth Velez, 48, died on I-90 this afternoon.
In the course of 4 hours, Lakewood Police and Fire went from one accident to another, starting with a roll over on Madison, followed by the death of Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper Kenneth Velez, 48, on I-90, shutting down I-90 Westbound for 5 hours. This forced traffic on all other streets to go to the breaking point, which was punctuated by another roll over on Clifton Blvd. during rush hour. Also in those handful of hours were a heroin overdose, some domestic problems, some other traffic issues and medical emergencies.
Lakewood Police and Fire, handled all of it with speed, grace, skill and compassion. Today, like most days they earned their pay, and all of our praise.
To the Valdez Family, Ohio State Troopers, Lakewood Police and Fire, I feel your pain and your loss, and thank you.
Here is a brief over view.
Around noon, I got a call that there was an accident at McKinley and Madison.
A Honda SUV had collided with another car at a relatively slow speed and rolled.
The other car, also with pretty light damage.
Honda is righted.
They make sure the battery is disconnected.
And then the call went out, "2 Ambulances and police need on I-90, more if available"
Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper Kenneth Velez, was waving over a speeder when he suddenly slowed, and the car right behind him swerved to miss him and hit the State Trooper.
More photos on that accident at: (caution some are graphic)
http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... =7&t=23314
Then at 5pm, just as they were finishing up on I-90 which opened around 7pm. I got another call, "Someone is talking about a guy lying in Clifton." Well I had just come from the bumper to bumper traffic and head back. "The person was by Edwards."
A pick up truck, and a passenger car tangled, as the car was headed North, and the truck was headed west. It might have been the sun, no one knows but the truck clipped the car, went to the right.
Hitting the curb, which started the truck rolling towards a pole. The driver was thrown out of the truck, and was laying in the street. When the police arrived.
He was taken to Metro Hospital, condition was not known at time of posting.
The other car.
A terrible day, let's not forget the Vadez Family, and the families of all first responders, because everyday they work, they have a chance of being hurt.
The "Fallen Police Flag" flying at half mast tonight in honor of Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper Kenneth Velez, 48, who died today.
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