ASHLAND — The Ashland County Prosecutor harped on the “touchy-feely” collaboration of law enforcement agencies during the office’s annual Victims of Crime Service Awards Banquet on Tuesday.
“You may have noticed I’m speaking in terms of ‘partner agencies.’ There was a time when I didn’t really use those sorts of terms. I thought they were a little touchy-feely for me,” said prosecutor Chris Tunnell, prompting laughter from the crowd.
But the partnership and teamwork among law enforcement agencies is something he highlighted at this year’s award banquet because “we’ve had countless situations, over and over again, when it’s not just one agency’s problem.”
Tunnell talked about the strong partnership among law enforcement officers — as seven officers representing both the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District and the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office received the office’s Distinguished Service Award.
The seven officers worked together on July 22, 2021 to save the lives of a man and woman, both in their 50s, whose boat capsized at Charles Mill Lake.
Ranger Corbin Mager received the call around 11 p.m. while patrolling the lake that two people were in the water and the current was pulling them toward the dam. Ranger Adam McLellan also responded, along with deputies Joseph Coffey, Daniel Saylor, Shaun Taylor and officer Timothy Boyd.
The man and woman were in the water in front of the trash gates at the dam, struggling to stay above water. The rescuers used ropes and life jackers to pull them to safety.
Tunnell called the rescue “an outstanding effort to save lives.”
John Maxey, the district’s chief ranger, said, “I truly believe all the officers at the scene were essential in their heroic efforts.”
Tunnell handed out three other rewards during the banquet.
The Special Courage Award went to Krista Solars, who during a trial stood up to the man who harassed her for eight years through social media and unwanted emails.
Tunnell said the defendant, whom he did not identify, represented himself in the May 2021 trial.
“Which meant he got to ask Ms. Solars questions when she testified,” Tunnell said, adding it was horrible for Solars.
The prosecutor said it was through Solars’ bravery that the state was able to get the man convicted of a first-degree misdemeanor with jail time, and a supervision term of five years that prohibits contact with her.
Mallory Finkel and Serenity Boreman-Roland also received the Special Courage Award. The girls were victims of a hit-skip crash that resulted in “devastating injury and unimaginable loss,” Tunnell said.
“Despite that traumatic situation happening to them, they both were able to collect themselves at the scene and run to a nearby residence and call for help,” Tunnell said.
The last award, the office’s Community Service Award, went to Doug Smetzer, who recently retired as the Ashland County Prosecutor’s chief investigator. Smetzer served in the role for 36 years. Tunnell said the prosecutor’s successes would not be possible without him.
“Every major case in the last 30-some years has been taken into the prosecutor’s office before it was charged by Doug Smetzer,” Tunnell said. “And that’s something a lot of people don’t see.”
The Ashland County Prosecutor’s Office hosts its Victims of Crime Service Awards Banquet each year at the Elks Lodge in Ashland. This year, there were around 80 people in attendance, including officers, their families and victims and their families.
