PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN … A sign memorializing Patrolman Jon D. Birchem, who died in a crash while pursuing two speeders on the turnpike in 1967, is unveiled at the Swanton post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. From left are OTIC Chief Engineer and Deputy Executive Director Chris Matta, State Rep. Haraz Ghanbari (R-Perrysburg), Criss Cline, Bill Cashman, Jessica Cashman, OSHP Superintendent Col. Charles Jones, Jeff Cline, Tracie Cline, State Rep. Jim Hoops (R-Napoleon), and State Rep. Erika White (D-Springfield).
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
The Ohio State Highway Patrol hosted representatives from the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission, state lawmakers, and surviving family members of Patrolman Jon D. Birchem last week to recognize the legacy of and unveil a new sign memorializing Birchem.
On Feb. 27, 1967, while pursuing two speeding vehicles on the Ohio Turnpike in Wood County, Birchem was killed in the line of duty when he lost control of his cruiser on a patch of ice and struck a concrete bridge pillar. Birchem, just 22, had graduated from the academy just eight months earlier and left behind his wife, Criss, and a 7-month-old son.
OSHP Superintendent Col. Charles Jones said Birchem wasn’t scheduled to work that day but had traded shifts with another officer so that he could be a pallbearer at the funeral of a friend who had been killed in Vietnam.
“This dedication serves as a powerful reminder of the risk our personnel and every law enforcement officer across the country face every single day,” Jones said.
“It is also a testament to the enduring commitment of our patrol family and to our unwavering promise to never, never ever, ever forget those who came before us and gave all in the line of duty.”
According to OTIC Chief Engineer and Deputy Executive Director Chris Matta, in the weeks after Birchem’s death, the turnpike commission passed a resolution stating its members “recognizes its heartfelt grief upon the loss of a young life of very great promise, a casualty in what must be a never-ending war against highway lawlessness.
“We may never understand why people fail to be responsible behind the wheel, but we do know that it is our responsibility to continue our efforts to prevent tragedies like this one from happening again.”
State Reps. Haraz Ghanbari (R-Perrysburg) and Jim Hoops (R-Napoleon) also gave brief remarks during the event. Also in attendance were OTIC Vice Chair Sandy Barber and member Colleen Shay Murray, as well as state Rep. Erika White (D-Springfield).
The new sign, which has been installed on the 65.5 milepost near where the crash occurred, also includes a warning for drivers to “Move over for stopped vehicles with flashing lights.”
All 50 states have a “move over” law, with Ohio’s going into effect in 1999 for law enforcement, emergency services, and tow trucks.
The Ohio law was expanded in 2013 to apply to all stationary vehicles with flashing lights. In 2017, the sign program was begun “to honor those who lost their lives or suffered life-long consequences while serving the motoring public,” according to an OSHP release.