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Oct. 05--CHICKASAW -- Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey was at home listening to a portable police radio when he heard a commotion. It didn't take long after hearing a volunteer with the local crash-response team had been hit by a car before Grey was out the door headed to the scene.
Grey knew from the police radio traffic that things were serious.
"As I was driving over there, the helicopter that had him was headed to Dayton and flew over the road I was on," Grey said. "I saw the helicopter going by. I'll tell you, it's hard not to have tears in your eyes when that stuff happens."
Grey said Marvin D. Collins, 56, of Fort Recovery, has been with Mercer County Emergency Response Volunteers since its inception 10 years ago. Collins and fellow volunteer James E. Kittle, 64, of Celina, had established a roadblock at U.S. Route 127 and state Route 274 to keep traffic away from a crash at U.S. 127 and Clover Four Road. A second roadblock had also been established at U.S. 127 and state Route 219.
Shortly before 8 p.m. Monday, a 2001 Saturn driven by Kameron J. McCarty, 21, who had been staying in Celina, failed to yield or slow for the roadblock and ran over an orange reflective traffic cone, Grey said. McCarty's car then struck two MCERV vehicles, with amber lights flashing. The vehicles then struck Collins.
Collins was taken first to Mercer Health in Coldwater before being flown aboard a medical helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, where he was listed in critical condition, Grey said.
Grey said McCarty refused to consent to a blood or urine test, however, a search warrant was obtained and investigators are awaiting those results before deciding on additional charges. McCarty was arrested and charged with aggravated vehicular assault and is being held in the Mercer County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail, Grey said.
A passenger in McCarty's car, Ashley N. Farmer, 20, of Celina, had an outstanding warrant through the Celina Police Department for theft and was also arrested, Grey said. In addition, deputies found Farmer in possession of a syringe and additional charges could be forthcoming, Grey said.
Grey said it's devastating when someone who helps out is involved in such a tragic event.
"They are just good-hearted, well-intentioned people that want to help serve their community," Grey said of the MCERV members. "I wish that back when they started that we would have kept track of everything that they have done because they have saved the taxpayers thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars. Even though they're not deputy sheriffs, I feel like, and we're treating it just like it was, a deputy that got hit."
Grey brought the volunteers together Monday night at the Sheriff's Office for an impromptu prayer vigil for Collins. Meanwhile, Grey had a deputy go to Fort Recovery to get Collins' wife and take her to Dayton. A member of the Fort Recovery Police Department went to Ball State University to get Collins' daughter, who didn't have a car there, and take her to Dayton as well, Grey said.
"It was hard for me," Grey said of the meeting with MCERV volunteers. "You try to stand up and be the strong, brave sheriff but I kind of had to stop talking for a little bit because it was emotional. ... Now we just keep our fingers crossed and pray for a full recovery for him."
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