Driver Indicted for Murder in Death of Cleveland Firefighter

Jan. 10—CLEVELAND — A Cuyahoga County grand jury has indicted a Cleveland man in the death of Johnny Tetrick, a firefighter originally from Geneva.

The grand jury indicted Leander Bissell, 40, in the death of the firefighter on charges of murder, felonious assault, involuntary manslaughter, failure to comply, failure to stop after an accident and aggravated vehicular homicide.

Bissell could face 15 years to life in prison if he is convicted of the murder charge.

Tetrick, 51, a 27-year veteran of the Cleveland Fire Department, was working Nov. 19 at the scene of a motor vehicle accident on I-90 near the Martin Luther King exit.

At about 8:15 p.m., he was struck by a vehicle that went around emergency vehicles, according to a Facebook post from Cleveland Fire Fighters IAFF Local 93.

Tetrick died at a hospital. He was a 27-year veteran of the fire department.

The driver who struck Tetrick fled the scene, but firefighters gave police a description of the vehicle — a white Chevy Malibu with front-end damage.

Bratenahl police officers caught up with a suspect — Bissell — around 1 a.m. Nov. 20, according to reports.

At Bissell's initial court appearance, a judge set bail at $500,000, according to court records.

Tetrick, a graduate of Geneva High School, was the father of three girls.

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