Law enforcement comes together for man in distress

PORT CLINTON — Local law enforcement agencies came together to help a man stranded on a local highway. On April 15, Good Friday, a man was trying to hitchhike on Ohio 2, near milepost 122, because he had a flat tire. Richard Ellis, a good Samaritan who was passing by, stopped to speak with the man, who had a flat tire and the spare was already on the car. He told Ellis he had no money, was living in his car and was trying to get to Akron. Ellis said the man was "a mess" and seemed to be in serious distress, crying and unable to stand. Fearful the man would try to run into the highway, Ellis called 911. Two Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers and one Ottawa County sheriff's deputy responded to the call. While trying to jack up the man's car, the state patrol's car jack broke, but they were able to remove the tire. Sgt. Brandon Amory, with Ottawa County, took the tire and rim to Walmart and got the tire replaced and balanced. He also purchased a new jack. "We had all agreed to help pay for a new tire, me and the patrolmen. When the deputy came back with the new tire, he wouldn't take any money from any of us," Ellis said. "He said the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office is taking care of it." Amory came back to the scene where the man's car was parked and mounted the new tire for him. "They were able to get that young man back on the road. I'm a veteran, too, and we're like-minded. We like to help people when we can," Ellis said. "I was lucky to be there at the same time to help this young man and that's what matters." Ottawa County Sheriff Steve Levorchick lauded Amory's character. "That is not uncommon with Sgt. Amory. He is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corp. When he's grabbing a coffee at McDonald's he'll usually pay for the car behind him, too," Levorchick said. "Our deputies do thing kind of thing all the time. "Sgt. Amory comes to work every day to serve his community and this is evidence of it. That's what we do, care for the community and take care of the people who we are sworn to protect," Levorchick said. "It was an unfortunate circumstance but being able to help, hopefully, it turned this man's day around and helped him to continue on his way safely." -- Appreciate news from your community? Click here to subscribe to the Register.