BLUFFTON, OH (WLIO) - A local fallen police officer was included in a national project to remember those who lost their lives in the line of duty. 

July 9, 2024, Press Release from the Bluffton Police Department: On Saturday, July 13th, at 3 p.m., the Beyond the Call of Duty “End of Watch Ride to Remember” will be arriving in Bluffton to honor fallen Bluffton Police Officer Dominic Francis (EOW March 31st, 2022). Beyond the Call of Duty and their End of Watch Ride to Remember is an organization out of Spokane Valley, WA, that travels the country with its rolling memorial every other summer to honor the officers that were killed in the line of duty in the previous two years.

A portion of I-75 at mile marker 139 Northbound and 143 Southbound will be renamed the "Officer Dominic Francis Memorial Highway". Officials say 42-year-old Dominic Francis was struck and killed by the suspects' vehicle as he tried to put down stop sticks. Francis was a nine-year veteran of the Bluffton Police Department and a coach at Cory Rawson Schools.

BLUFFTON, OH (WLIO) - March 31st marks the one year anniversary of the death of Bluffton Police Officer Dominic Francis. 

Love was in the vehicle on March 31st with Dante Tate and Emin Johnson, which was part of the chase down I-75 where Officer Francis was struck and killed while deploying stop sticks to disable the vehicle they had stolen. Johnson, who was allegedly driving the vehicle, has his trial set for April of 2023. Tate has a trial date scheduled for March of 2023.

Emin Johnson will have his trial take place on April 24th of 2023. A final pre-trial is also scheduled for March 3rd of 2023. Johnson was indicted back in April on ten counts, including involuntary manslaughter, aggravated vehicular homicide, receiving stolen property, and having weapons under disability. He is believed to have been the driver that fatally struck Bluffton Police Officer Dominic Francis. Zachary Love and Dante Tate are the other two who were indicted in the case.

Tonight's soccer game between the Bluffton and Van Buren High School boys soccer teams honored fallen Bluffton Police Officer Dominic Francis. Before the game, a special ceremony and coin toss was held to remember the life of Officer Francis.

21-year-old Zachary Love had a pre-trial this afternoon in Hancock County Common Pleas Court. Lawyers are getting ready for love's trial scheduled for November 14th. There has been a final pretrial set for October to make sure everything is in place. Love was released from jail on bail last week.

19-year-old Dante Tate appeared for a pre-trial. He's accused of being in the car that struck and killed Bluffton Officer Dominic Francis back in March of 2022. Tate is facing two counts each of receiving stolen property, improper handling of a firearm, and grand theft of a motor vehicle, as well as one count of complicity to receiving stolen property.

Dante Tate, one of the men charged with the death of Officer Dominic Francis gets sentenced to 2 years in prison in Medina County.   The charges were from what happened after Officer Francis death on I75.