Roger W. Smith

How they died

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Ohio State Patrol Sgt. Howard Criss reportedly tried to stop Roger W. Smith about 1:16 a.m. for having a defective exhaust system on his car. Police said Smith initially began to pull over, but then fled at high speed. Smith went through Bellaire where two local officers joined the pursuit. Another state trooper deployed stop sticks, which deflated Smith's front tires, but Smith continued onto I-470. On the on-ramp, Criss pulled up next to him, and Smith allegedly tried to run his' car into the wall. The two Bellaire police cars got in front of Smith and forced him to stop on the Veterans Memorial Bridge between Ohio and West Virginia. According to police, Smith got out, ran a short distance and jumped over the side of the bridge. He landed on abandoned railroad tracks about 55 feet below.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Roger W. Smith, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources