CLEVELAND — A 40-year-old man accused of hitting and killing Cleveland Firefighter Johnny Tetrick in a hit-skip crash is being held in lieu of a $500,000 bond.
The alleged driver, Leander Bissell, 40, has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide and not stopping after an accident on a public roadway.
He appeared in court Monday morning.
On Nov. 20, Engine 22 responded to a crash involving a flipped vehicle on I-90 eastbound at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard shortly after 8 p.m. Witnesses said a car drove through the scene, hit Tetrick, and took off.
Tetrick was transported to University Hospitals where he was pronounced dead. He had served the city of Cleveland for more than 27 years, most of that time with Engine 22 on the city's East Side.
Bissell was later located and arrested by Bratenahl Police.
His next hearing will be on Nov. 29.
Tetrick's legacy
“Johnny left behind three daughters and a wife. We want you to know that their loss is all of our loss in the firefighter community and I know the people of Ohio feel the same way,” said Edward Kelly, the general president for the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF).
Tetrick's death comes on the heels of Crash Responder Safety Week. The initiative, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration, raises awareness about the dangers first responders face at crash scenes.
Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb expressed his condolences saying, “I am saddened to learn of the death of Cleveland Firefighter Johnny Tetrick and extend my sincere condolences to his family, friends, and fellow firefighters. Firefighter Tetrick was devoted to his work as a first responder and was a much-loved member of his family and his community. Our prayers go out to his entire family as the city mourns the loss of a colleague and a dedicated public servant."
Details about Tetrick's funeral arrangements will be announced by the Cleveland Division of Fire at a later time. The Cleveland Fire Fighters IAFF Local 93 said the funeral will tentatively happen on Saturday, Nov. 26 or Sunday, Nov. 27 at a large venue Downtown.
Flags have been lowered to half-staff on all city of Cleveland buildings in Tetrick's honor.
A GoFundMe has been created to help the family. For more information, click here.
RELATED: Cleveland Division of Fire mourns loss of veteran firefighter killed on I-90 last night
