Both team’s supporters were asked to wear blue or pink to commemorate the passing of State Trooper Kenneth Velez, who was struck and killed by an automobile on Interstate 90 Thursday afternoon.
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The vehicle’s driver, Joshua Gaspar, 37, of Columbia Station, is in custody.
Thursday’s highway closure in the wake of the crash lasted until about 5:30 p.m., causing lengthy delays on Cleveland’s west side. Records don’t indicate if he has an attorney.
The Highway Patrol is now investigating the crash and would not say whether the driver who struck the 48-year-old trooper had been arrested.
Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent, Colonel Paul Pride, stated that Velez soon departure was a tragedy for the OSHP and the Department of Public Safety.
Gov. John Kasich offered condolences to both Velez’s family and the Highway Patrol.
Interstate 90 westbound was expected to remain closed through evening rush hour.
The patrol was notified early Friday that a man standing near a vehicle on Interstate 70 in Sherman County was armed with a baseball bat or machete.
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Velez, 48, had been with the patrol since 1989. Trooper Velez is survived by his three children. “This is just the latest reminder of the hard and risky work of those who have chosen to make public safety their career”.
