‘One of the best.’ On-duty firefighter and dad of 3 killed in hit-and-run, Ohio cops say

An Ohio firefighter was killed by a hit-and-run driver while working the scene of an overnight accident, officials said.

Johnny Tetrick, a 27-year veteran with the Cleveland Division of Fire, is survived by three daughters, according to a GoFundMe page shared by the department.

“Johnny is our hero and there are no words to describe the hurt; we truly lost one of the best,” the organizer wrote.

Tetrick and fellow firefighters responded to the scene of a rollover crash on Interstate 90 at 8:15 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, Fire Chief Anthony Luke said in a statement.

A driver drove around the emergency vehicles, struck Tetrick and kept driving, authorities said.

Tetrick was taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries, while police alerted the public to be on the lookout for a white Chevy Malibu with damage to the front bumper.

Shortly after midnight, Cleveland police officers found the vehicle on the city’s northeast side and the driver was taken into custody on charges of aggravated vehicular homicide and failure to stop after an accident, the release said.

The 40-year-old made his first court appearance on Nov. 21, WKYC reported. His bond was set at $500,000.

“Firefighter Tetrick was a professional and dedicated first responder and a much-loved member of his family and his community,” Mayor Justin Bibb said in a statement. “Please keep all of them in your thoughts and prayers.”

The investigation is ongoing.

This story was originally published November 21, 2022 at 12:52 PM with the headline "‘One of the best.’ On-duty firefighter and dad of 3 killed in hit-and-run, Ohio cops say."