Bluffton police officer killed; three suspects arrested

BLUFFTON – 42-year-old Officer Dominic Francis of the Bluffton Police Department was killed early Thursday morning after he was allegedly struck by a vehicle that was involved in a pursuit.

The incident allegedly started at approximately 2AM, when troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Marion post observed a vehicle, later identified as a Infiniti sedan, traveling at a high rate of speed on State Route 23 northbound. Patrol officers were allegedly unable to make contact with the drivers of the vehicle, as it continue to flee on State Route 15 and then to Interstate 75 southbound.

At 2:30AM, on Interstate 75, near exit 142, Bluffton Officer Francis was attempting to deploy stop sticks and was struck by the fleeing vehicle. Officer Francis subsequently succumbed to his injuries from the crash.

Three suspects allegedly fled on foot east from the Infiniti sedan.

At approximately 3AM, a Toyota Prius was allegedly stolen from a residence on County Road 29 in Hancock County. One of the suspects was taken into custody in the neighboring proximity of the residence from where the Prius was stolen.

The Toyota Prius was then located by a trooper from the Medina Post on Interstate 71, near milepost 208, in Medina County. The vehicle allegedly continued to flee on westbound state Route 82. One suspect was ultimately taken into custody from the Prius at approximately 8:15PM, after a traffic stop at State Route 57 and Chestnut Ridge Road in Elyria.

The third suspect was arrested at 12:49PM.