Portion of Ohio 40 could become ‘Deputy Matthew Yates Memorial Highway’

Clark County Sheriff's Office Deputy Matthew Yates. File.

Clark County Sheriff's Office Deputy Matthew Yates. File.

A portion of Ohio 40 may be designated as Deputy Matthew Yates Memorial Highway if legislation introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives on Thursday passes.

House Bill 720, introduced by State Rep. Kyle Koehler (R-Springfield), would designate a portion of State Route 40 between Tuttle Road and Ohio 54 for the memorial highway.

Yates, 41, died after being shot while in the line of duty on July 24. He was responding to an incident that left two others — Jodie Arbuckle and her son, Cole White — dead at Harmony Estates Mobile Home Park in Harmony Twp.

He was a 15-year veteran of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

“Deputy Yates dedicated his life to the city and citizens of Springfield and he paid the ultimate price to protect his community. The outpouring of support from our community has simply been the confirmation of the impact that Deputy Yates had on those who knew him,” said Koehler.

Koeheler said that the road naming is “just one more small thing” the community can do to honor Yates and his family.

The legislation awaits a committee assignment.

Yates “devoted his life to making his community better,” Clark County Sheriff Deb Burchett said at his August funeral at Springfield’s First Christian Church. “Matthew would be overwhelmed by the outpouring of love for him.”

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