Marion police officer injured in crash released from hospital

The Marion Police Department officer who was injured in a collision with another emergency vehicle on Memorial Day has been released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, according to department officials.

Marion Police Chief Jay McDonald said Officer Daniel Ice was released from OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus late last week. Ice, 51, was injured while en route to Quarry Park on the north side of Marion in response to a report of a suspected drowning when the crash occurred around 3 p.m. on Memorial Day.

Following the collision with a Marion Fire Department ambulance that was also responding to the drowning incident at the park, Ice was initially transported to OhioHealth Marion General Hospital with what was described as "serious injuries" by troopers the Marion Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

"Officer Ice has been released from the hospital and is on a road to recovery," McDonald said. "There will be quite some time before he is ready to return to full duty, but he is making good progress every day. Officer Ice wanted us to make sure to thank everyone for the prayers and well wishes, he is very appreciative. We want to thank all those who stopped to help or call 911."

McDonald noted that the man who was rescued from drowning at Quarry Park was treated at Marion General Hospital and appears to recovering from the incident.

Marion firefighters Jacob Fohl, 22, of Marion, and Nicholas Hunley, 24, of Marion, were involved in the collision. Capt. Ryan Redmon of the Marion Fire Department suffered what he termed a "minor ankle injury" and was released after receiving treatment at Marion General Hospital. Redmon said Fohl was also transported to Marion General Hospital, but was not injured.

According to a press release issued by the Marion Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the crash involved Ice's Marion Police SUV and an ambulance from the Marion Police Department, both of which had been dispatched to Quarry Park to assist the drowning victim. Records show that the crash was reported to the Marion County Combined Dispatch Center at 3:07 p.m. on Memorial Day.

Troopers said the ambulance, a 2019 Ford F-550, was driven by Fohl. Hunley was a passenger in the ambulance. Ice was driving a 2021 Ford Explorer.

According to information provided by troopers from the Marion Post, the investigation indicates that Ice was traveling northbound on North Main Street and Fohl was traveling westbound on Fairground Street. Fohl traveled into the intersection and was struck by Ice on the driver's side of his vehicle. The ambulance overturned and traveled off the northwest corner of the intersection before coming to rest on its side.

Email: ecarter@gannett.com | Twitter: @AndrewACCarter