SPRINGFIELD — A man Springfield police said was shot an runover by a responding police officer died from blunt force trauma to the torso and his death was ruled an accident, Montgomery County Coroner Kent Harshbarger said Friday.
News Center 7 reviewed the preliminary autopsy for Eric Cole, who died after the June incident on South Center Boulevard, following a public records request back in shortly after his death. The final autopsy results were released Friday.
>> ‘They just hit me,’ Springfield shooting victim says in 911 call as police cruiser runs over him
The coroner’s office said it was notified of Cole’s death by a nurse at Miami Valley Hospital. A coroner’s investigator called Springfield police about the death and officers said Cole “may have been struck by a vehicle and shot in the left arm,” according to the report.
Cole called 911 June 15 around 11:15 p.m. to say he’d been shot by someone.
“I’m in the middle of the street,” Eric Cole told 911 dispatchers as he reported being shot. “I’m about to die.”
Cole’s autopsy showed he was shot in the back of his left arm and the bullet went “through the skin and soft tissue.”
Cole remained on the phone with 911 dispatchers as Officer Amanda Rosales responded to the shooting.
“They just hit me,” Cole said.
“Who hit you?” the dispatcher asked Cole.
“The police,” he said.
Springfield Police Chief Lee Graf identified Rosales as the officer who hit Cole with her cruiser and called the incident an accident.
>> Autopsy shows new details after man shot and then runover by police in Springfield
Rosales was placed on paid administrative leave after the incident and was still on leave Friday, according to a city spokeswoman.
“This was an accident. It doesn’t mean it’s OK. It was an accident. This was not an intentional act on the part of the officer. I am sure of that,” Graf said. “From what we are initially piecing together, remember this is all under investigation, the lead officer was trying to catch the addresses on the house. Eric was lying in the street as you can see from the videos — and the officer did not see him.”
Cole’s autopsy showed he had abrasions to his back and lower chest and lacerations on his left shoulder and back, along with internal bleeding. He also had a fracture of his sternum and multiple left ribs.
There also was blunt force trauma to his arms, knees and legs, according to the report.
Graf said three investigations have been opened as part of this incident. A criminal investigation into the shooting, which is being investigated by Springfield police. The investigation into the crash, where Cole was hit by Rosales’ cruiser, is being investigated by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The third is an internal police investigation opened by the department’s Professional Standards Unit.
Graf, along with other city leaders present during a June news conference, promised transparency and thoroughness through the investigations.
Springfield Police told News Center 7 late Friday they have not made any arrests for the shooting.
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