COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two Franklin Police Department officers are injured and their K-9 is dead after being hit by a wrong-way driver while on regular patrol in Warren County Saturday morning, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The crash happened at 10:40 a.m. on South River Street near West 7th Street in the city of Franklin, about 20 minutes outside of Dayton.
According to OSHP, two officers and their K-9 were traveling southwest on South River Road in a marked patrol car when a Jeep Patriot, traveling the wrong way at a high rate of speed, struck the cruiser. The Jeep was being driven by 21-year-old Michael Sims, of Kentucky.
After hitting the cruiser, the Jeep traveled off the roadway and struck a tree before it came to a stop.
The police K-9, Fury, was taken to MedVet where he died of his injuries. The two officers were taken to Kettering Health Franklin with minor injuries.
Sims was taken to Atrium Hospital with minor injuries, and once he is released, he will be held at the Warren County Jail on criminal charges of felonious assault of a police officer and felonious assault of a police dog. Additional charges may be added, according to OSHP.
The crash remains under investigation.
The police department released the following statement Saturday afternoon:
"With a heavy heart the Franklin Police Division has lost a beloved member our family. Canine Officer Fury was killed this morning by a driver who was driving the wrong way on River Street and struck a Franklin patrol vehicle. Two of our police officers were also injured but will return to duty. The Ohio State Highway Patrol is handling the investigation."
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