COLUMBUS — A central Ohio lawmaker wants a Hilliard police officer to be remembered on the roadways where he lost his life.
State Senator Jim Hughes (R-Columbus) introduced a bill on Wednesday to rename a portion of I-270 in Blendon Township as the “Sean R. Johnson Memorial Highway.”
Senate Bill 337 would rename part of the exit ramp from I-270 to State Route 161 in honor of the 16-year veteran of the Hilliard Division of Police who was killed in a motorcycle accident on the ramp during an intensive two-week training period with the newly-formed traffic safety unit last month.
“The death of Officer Sean Johnson in the line of duty should make us pause and give thanks for the law enforcement officers who encounter danger on a regular basis to keep our neighborhoods safe,” Hughes said in a statement released by his office.
Johnson was the first Hilliard officer to die in the line of duty in the division’s 56-year history.
He is survived by two children, ages 14 and 11, and his mother.
The bill will be referred to a standing Senate committee for further consideration.