Stretch of Miami County road dedicated to deputy killed in 1972 in line of duty

MIAMI COUNTY — A stretch of a busy Miami County road was dedicated Thursday morning to a sheriff’s deputy who was killed in the line of duty in the 1970s.

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The Miami County Sheriff’s Office dedicated West State Route 55 in honor of Deputy Sergeant William R. Morris who was killed on November 22, 1972, the sheriff’s office said.

The stretch of roadway runs from the City of Troy west corporation limit to State Route 48.

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Miami County roadway dedicated to fallen deputy

The Ohio General Assembly recently passed, and Governor Mike DeWine signed the legislation to dedicate that portion of State Route 55 to Sgt. Morris. Special thanks to State Senator Steve Huffman and retired Deputy Billie Ray for bringing this project to fruition.

He was shot and killed while responding to a call in 1972 involving two juveniles trying to steal a vehicle on County Road 25A north of State Route 571 in Tipp City, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page website. He was 42 when the shooting happened and a father of five.

Sgt. Morris is buried at Miami Memorial Park.

The dedication took place Thursday morning at 11 a.m. at the Troy Church of the Nazarene at the 1200 block of Barnhart Road in Troy.

The signs will be produced and erected by the Ohio Department of Transportation.

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