Preble Deputy Joshua Hamilton among 9 honored at peace officers memorial ceremony

LONDON, Ohio — Preble County Sheriff’s Deputy Joshua Hamilton was among nine peace officers across Ohio killed in the line of duty between 2020 and 2023 who was honored Thursday in London, east of Springfield.

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“Today is a day of remembrance and profound sadness,” state Attorney General Dave Yost told those attending the 36th Ohio Peace Officers Memorial Ceremony. “There is no need to mask our pain – we all share it.”

Hamilton, 34, died Dec. 18, 2023, in a head-on collision on state Route 503 while pursuing a speeding motorist. He went left of center on a curve and the other driver, 36-year-old Michael Gayhart of West Elkton, also died at the scene. Hamilton’s was the first line-of-duty death in the history of the Preble County Sheriff’s Office.

Five months after the death, Sheriff Mike Simpson said the deputy’s service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

“It’s in the minds of everyone still and always will be,” the sheriff told News Center 7′s John Bedell. “But as time goes on, you know, we still have a job to do. And so we continue to do that every day.”

Hamilton’s family, which includes his parents and daughter, attended the ceremony but did not wish to speak with News Center 7.

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Thursday’s ceremony also include one historical honoree and the public unveiling of a major renovation of the Fallen Officers Memorial Wall, located on the grounds of the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy in London. Freshly engraved with the names of 836 peace officers dating back to 1832, the 32 panels of polished black granite that form the memorial wall were recently mounted over the wall’s limestone face, preserving the legacy of Ohio’s fallen heroes for generations to come.

The eternal flame, a poignant reminder of the risks that peace officers face every day, still burns at the center of the memorial.

The eight other peace officers memorialized this year are:

Deputy Marcus L. Zeigler, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office: Nine months after joining the sheriff’s office as a corrections officer, Deputy Zeigler, 36, collapsed during a training run at the Great Oaks police academy, where he was pursuing the next stage of his career. He died at a hospital two days later, on May 26, 2023. Zeigler loved firearms and quickly became an expert. From 2017 to 2022, he operated his own training business, Zeigler Defense Systems. He is survived by his wife and five children.

Officer Timothy J. Unwin, Springfield Twp. Police Department: Officer Unwin, 31, died in a car crash on March 31, 2023, as he was responding to a radio call for assistance from fellow officers being attacked by an individual resisting arrest. He had joined the police department in May 2021. He started his career as a corrections officer with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office before joining the city of Hamilton Police Department. He is survived by his parents and siblings.

Deputy Terrance N. Bateman, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office: Deputy Bateman, 59, was a 25-year veteran of the Corrections Division in the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Bateman died of COVID-19 on Jan. 15, 2022. He is survived by his wife and seven children.

Corporal Matthew D. Mitchell, South Vienna Police Department: Cpl. Mitchell, 52, served three years with the South Vienna Police Department and, before that, five years with the South Charleston Police, where he also was a member of the Clark County drug task force. His first job out of the academy was with the Port William Police Department, in Clinton County. In early December 2021, in the course of his job, Mitchell contracted COVID-19. He died Dec. 29, 2021. He is survived by his longtime girlfriend and three children.

Officer Anthony E. Cloyd, University of Dayton Department of Public Safety: Like many other first responders, Officer Cloyd contracted COVID-19 while carrying out his duties. He died on Dec. 9, 2021, at age 59, the first UD officer to die in the line of duty. Cloyd became a peace officer later in life. At 43 he went to the police academy, then landed his first and only job, at UD, in 2005. As a patrol officer, he enjoyed interacting with students and university area residents. He was a favorite of the Flyers basketball team and was close with university administrators. He is survived by his wife and three sons.

Deputy Billy I. Ihrig, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office: Deputy Ihrig died Oct. 28, 2021, after suffering complications from COVID-19. He is believed to have contracted the virus about a month earlier while restraining a suspect he had arrested. Ihrig entered law enforcement after serving 13 years in the Marine Corps. He started his 17-year career with the sheriff’s office in corrections, moved to the detective bureau, and spent the last several years working in patrol. After leaving active service, he volunteered with the American Legion and the VFW, as well as the FOP. Ihrig was 52. He is survived by his longtime girlfriend and six children.

Officer Gerald F. Lynch, Mentor Police Department: Officer Lynch started his law enforcement career in 1987 after serving overseas in the Army. He retired as a lieutenant in 2016 after 24 years with the Painesville Police Department, but he returned to service the following year with the city of Mentor as a part-time Municipal Court officer. While working for Mentor, Lynch contracted COVID-19. He died Oct. 3, 2021, at the age of 56. The father of three is remembered by his wife as being selfless in his work.

Patrolman Mark U. Heinl, St. Henry Police Department: Patrolman Heinl, 60, died Nov. 28, 2020, after a monthlong battle with COVID-19. Before joining the St. Henry Police Department, he had retired as a captain from the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office after a decades-long career there. Heinl also was an active volunteer with several local emergency response agencies and numerous community organizations. A son and daughter-in-law work for the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, and another son is with the Columbus Division of Police. Heinl’s wife and four children established a scholarship fund in his memory, which so far has provided academy tuition to three cadets.

The historical honoree this year is Assistant Chief Orion Hale, Germantown Police Department. He suffered a heart attack during a response call on Dec. 20, 1957. Hale’s line-of-duty death was only recently discovered by his department.

This is the second consecutive year an area law enforcement officer will be added to the memorial wall. Clark County Sheriff’s Deputy Matt Yates, who was shot and killed in July 2022, was added in 2023.

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