Officers Honored for Saving Victims of Fiery Crash

Two Fairlawn police officers, a Copley officer and a citizen were to be honored Monday night by Fairlawn City Council for their actions after a fiery crash April 11 on West Market Street.

Sergeant Kenneth Slonaker and Officer Donald Duman of Fairlawn police, Copley Officer Joel Marmet and John Krummrich, a passerby, were commended with a resolution for their "unselfish and heroic efforts" in saving two young people from a burning SUV.

"They put their lives on the line," Police Chief Ken Walsh said. "They didn't hesitate for a second. If they had, those two people would have lost their lives."

The four men pulled both victims to safety after their vehicle flipped over outside the Hilton Inn and caught fire.

The details:

Police were called by a witness about 4:30 p.m. about a car being driven recklessly on West Market Street. Officers determined the vehicle was stolen, and Slonaker and Duman initiated a pursuit as it left Rosemont Commons onto West Market.

Because of concerns for public safety, they called off the pursuit after a short distance, but the fleeing car continued to speed until the driver lost control.

The car hit a tree and sheared off a utility pole, leaving live wires on the ground, before flipping and landing upside down on parked cars.

The vehicle was engulfed in flames when Slonaker and Duman got to it, but "without hesitation and concern for their own safety," the officers raced to the car, broke the window and pulled a 14-year-old girl to safety, according to the city's resolution.

Slonaker and Marmet then located the driver, who had been ejected through the windshield and was wedged under a parked car, and started to pull him from the wreckage.

Krummrich then ran over to assist, in the process receiving a low-voltage shock from one of the downed power lines.

All four went above and beyond the call of duty, the resolution says.

The driver has been charged with a series of offenses, including fleeing, wanton disregard for public safety, driving without a license and receiving stolen property.