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An outpouring of support for Portage Co. deputy badly burned by felony suspect

Posted at 10:06 PM, Feb 17, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-17 23:17:10-05

PORTAGE COUNTY, Ohio — Portage County Sheriff Dave Doak said one of his longtime deputies, Sergeant Jim Acklin, is in good spirits and has made progress since suffering third-degree burns after a man wanted on felony warrants lit the deputy on fire Thursday evening.

Sgt. Acklin remains in the burn unit at Akron Children’s Hospital. Sgt. Acklin suffered severe burns to nearly 30 percent of his body.

Sheriff's deputies and other law enforcement personnel were attempting to serve felony warrants on Jay Bannon, 49, on Thursday evening at a building in Rootstown Township. Brannon allegedly threated to ‘kill the cops’ before reportedly throwing flammable liquid from a can onto Sgt. Acklin. The veteran deputy’s clothing caught on fire before other law enforcement personnel managed to douse the flames. Sgt. Acklin was rushed to the hospital. Brannon was apprehended and faces multiple counts of attempted murder.

RELATED: Portage Co. sheriff's deputy set on fire while serving warrant in Rootstown

Will Rosch, the leader of the volunteer-based Big Creek Dog Search Team, created a GoFundMe upon hearing the news that Sgt. Acklin was seriously injured. The two met on a search in Portage County many years ago and struck up a friendship. Eventually, Sgt. Acklin, who was enamored by the search team, became a part of it and volunteered to help in searches for missing people all over Northeast Ohio.

Sgt. Acklin also trained his dog, Simba, and had him certified for cadaver searches.

Early on, Rosch said there was a mutual respect between he and Sgt. Acklin.

“They always thanked us for what we do. I say, you know there is a big difference between what we do and what you guys do in the law enforcement? That is, at the end of a search, we know we’re coming home. On any given day, you guys don't,” Rosch said. “Fortunately he came home but not the way he left home. That was my biggest concern.”

Knowing the extensive recovery that Sgt. Acklin now faces, Rosch started the fundraising campaign without thinking twice. As of Sunday evening, the campaign, which was created in the days after the incident, had almost reached its $5,000 goal.

“He’s just a fantastic person. His wife, who’s a police dispatcher, is a sweetheart. Thank God he’s alive,” Rosch said.

It’s unclear when Sgt. Acklin may be released from the hospital. Sgt. Acklin was planning on retiring later this year.

“You go this many years and you’re this close to retirement and something like this happens,” Rosch said. “It really doesn’t seem fair. For everything that he has given -- not only to his community but to his department, his work with volunteer search and rescue and everything – it’s not fair for somebody like that to go through this.”