By Parker Perry
Springfield News-Sun
CLARK COUNTY, Ohio — Two Clark County Commission maintenance employees sprung into action when they and a Sheriff’s Office deputy found an inmate was trying to kill himself.
Mike Yinger and Tanner Croley were honored by the Clark County Commission for their heroic actions. Yinger, who is a maintenance supervisor, was at the jail to fix a toilet when the three found an inmate hanging.
“At first, it’s like ‘Oh my goodness’ I had never seen anything like it in my life,” Yinger said. “We knew we wanted to help and we knew nobody else could get there because the doors were locked behind us.”
The incident happened on Nov. 1 at around 1:30 p.m.
Yinger said the men entered the jail for routine maintenance but suddenly things changed.
“Deputies have to enter with you and when she entered with us she checks the cells to make sure every inmate is safe,” Yinger said. “And during that period of time when she looked in the third cell there was a gentleman who hanged himself.”
Yinger said he and Croley helped a deputy free the inmate and then lower him to the ground.
Entering the jail can be dangerous, Yinger said, and staff is trained to protect themselves when a situation occurs but in this event helping was the obvious choice.
The commission recognized the two men for their actions and for going above the beyond the call of duty to help save a man’s life. They were given proclamations Wednesday morning.
The man was injured but soon became responsive and was treated at the jail, according to Yinger.