Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Ohio
End of Watch: Friday, February 2, 2001
Age: 54
Tour of Duty: 15 years
Badge Number: 4
Cause of Death: Automobile crash
Date of Incident: February 2, 2001
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Correction Officer Wayne Mitchell was killed when the prisoner transport van he was riding in was involved in an accident on I-71, under the overpass for Ohio 56 in Madison County.
He was one of three officers transporting two prisoners to a medical facility when the van slid on a patch of ice and struck a concrete retaining wall.
Officer Mitchell had served with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for 15 years. He is survived by his wife and son.
Officer Mitchell, a U.S. Army Vietnam War veteran, was selected as Correctional Officer of the Year for 2001 by a vote of his fellow officers after they withdrew their own names from consideration.