Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio
End of Watch: Friday, January 19, 1996
Age: 27
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: January 19, 1996
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Sentence commuted to life
Trooper James Gross was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Ashland on I-71. A truck driver had noticed a car driving erratically and contacted the police via CB.
During the stop, Trooper Gross was shot once in his left arm. As he attempted to take cover, he slipped on the wet pavement and fell to the ground. The suspect shot him in the back as he lay on the ground. The round entered below his vest and traveled upwards through his torso.
Other truckers who witnessed the shooting used their CB radios to notify authorities of the incident. The suspect was apprehended when he crashed into an embankment following a 29-mile chase. The ensuing investigation determined that the suspect had previously shot his mother in the foot.
The 30-year-old suspect was initially sentenced to death. In 2005 his death sentence was commuted to life. He will be eligible for parole in June of 2044.
Trooper Gross had served with the Ohio State Highway Patrol for 2 years. He was survived by his wife.
A portion of Interstate 71 in Ashland County, between mileposts 189 and 191, has been dedicated and renamed the James R. Gross Memorial Highway.