Amherst News-Times, 1997-05-21

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Wednesday, May 21, 1997
Amherst, Ohio
Cops eyewitness man's police station suic
by BILL ROSS
News-Times reporter
A local man who told a police
dispatcher he was despondent and
was unable to perform his trade as a
plumber, shot and killed himself in
the parking lot of the Amherst Police Station Saturday night.
Daniel Bowens, 46, of 250 Taylor
Street, first called the police station
at 11:24 p.m. and talked to dispatcher Barbara Hudson, asking to
speak to cither patrolman Hector
Rivera or Walter Gould.
Police detective Lonnie Dillon
said (hat Bowens was a lifelong
Amherst resident who attended Marion L.  Steele  High  School, and
knew Hudson and the two patrolmen while growing up.
Hudson told Bowens that neither
officer was available and after a
brief conversation, he hung up.
At 11:33, Bowens called Hudson
once again, telling her that he had
physical problems that were preventing him from working and he
had decided to "end it all."
While keeping Bowens on the
line, Hudson radioed for all available officers to respond to the station, after Bowens told her he was
calling from a cellular phone in the
police station parking lot and was
armed.
Officer John Balog was first on
the scene and found Bowens parked
in his Ford Escort with all of the
o
z
Nr
Proud
of our
town
Pride Day in Amherst was a great success this year, with
volunteers contributing
to projects such as
Ihe Amherst Office on
Aging, Maude Neiding
Park, Old Spring,
Townhall and the
areas surrounding the
train tracks at Maple,
Tenney and Church
streets. Citizens who
did not volunteer for
specific projects could
be seen throughout
the city sprucing up
their homes and property. At right, students
plant flowers surrounding trees on the north
side of Town Hall. For
more Pride Day
photos, turn to Page
3.
windows rolled up — still on the
phone with Hudson.
Hudson continued talking to
Bowens after more officers arrived,
attempting to soothe him, but after
asking her to tell his family, "I love
them and this has nothing to do with
them," he hung up at 11:47 p.m.
Two minutes later, Bowen called
back on the 911 line and told Hud
son, "I'm going to do it."
Officers Luther Smith, Ron
Brothcrton and Diane Mahar arrived
shortly and while the officers attempted to gel Bowens lo talk lo
them, he held a 20-gauge shotgun to
his chest and pulled the trigger.
The officers had to break the win-
CONTINUED on  page  3
Veterans, others
to honor war dead
during Memorial
Day ceremonies
Although Memorial Day is traditionally the time to kick off the summer season, sometimes ihe significance of the holiday is lost among
backyard barbecues or boating on
the lake.
But citizens of Amherst will have
ihe opportunity to pay tribute to
those who gave their lives for our
country during the Memorial Day
Parade on Monday, May 26 at 10
a.m.
According to American Legion
fifth division commander Joe Godfrey, who is assisting with the coordination of this year's event, the lineup begins at 9:45 a.m. on
Washington Street near Marion L.
Steele High School, and will con
tinue across Cleveland Avenue,
down Forest to Park Avenue.
The parade will end at town hall,
where a memorial service will be
held — including Taps being played
and a gun salute to fallen comrades.
American Legion Post 118 is
sponsoring this year's parade and
State Representative Bill Taylor will
be giving the address during the
ceremony, after traveling by car
along the parade route. Also driving
in the parade will be mayor John
Higgins, safety/service director
Cookie McLoda and a number of
veterans.
Joyce Gain and Gerri Rice are the
CONTINUED on page 3
Young accident
victim honored
by school mates
at Harris
»i in«<i^
by BILL ROSS
News-Times reporter
As the little buckeye tree was
being planted in his memory in
front of Harris Elementary
School, classmates, friends and
family of Jacob Balda tearfully
remembered the boy "who loved
to give hugs."
Jacob was killed in a multi-
vehicle collision on the night of
Jan. 14, as he traveled home
from a hockey game with his
fain:.-, Tim.
As their van entered the intersection of Russia Road while
heading north on Rt. 58, it collided with a van driven by
Naihan Eden.
The Balda's van spun around
and was hit by another van
traveling south on Rt. 58 — and
it was that impact that killed
Jacob.
Although the others involved
in the wreck recovered from
their injuries, Jacob's death continues to haunt his family — and
it is hoped that the memorial
service will help to mend a
multitude of broken hearts.
Principal Dan Trent chairs ihe
Crisis Management Team at
Harris, and following the accident made the service available
to grieving students.
"In the course of the counseling sessions, many of Jacob's
friends wanted to do something
lo remember him by," Trent
said. "The idea of a tree was repeatedly suggested and since
trees are symbols of life, we also
thought it was a good idea."
At the ceremony, which was
attended by Jacob's classmates,
his parents and family, his
friends and'school faculty, a
special  engraved   stone   was
placed permanently beside the
buckeye tree. ,
Jacob was particularly fond of
buckeye trees and had previously brought one to school lo
talk about.
A selection of photographs
depicting his brief life and joyous times was also placed
nearby, along with Jacob's favorite baseball hat.
Speaking at the ceremony, Jacob's fourth grade teacher Karol
Goodman said, "Just as this tree
will live and grow, so will our
precious memories of Jacob."
But the emotion of the moment was overwhelming, so
Trent finished Goodman's remarks while she softly cried.
"His memory can never be taken
away from us."
Following up on those words,
Tim Balda spoke lovingly of his
son. "Don't be sad...you have
his happy smile in your heart,"
he told Jacob's classmates. "And
you'll always have this little tree
to remember him by."
Balda later told the News-
Times that in spite of his words
of encouragement, it had taken
him all day to work up the courage to speak, but he felt he had
to do it for the other children.
"We're still having a pretty
rough lime of it," Balda said in
reference to his family.
A trial date has been set for
Eden for Sept. 8, who will be
facing a variety of charges in
connection with Jacob's death,
including driving under intoxication. "They have a pretty airtight case against him," said
Balda, adding that Eden's blood
alcohol count was listed at .26
shortly after the accident.
"Thai's enough to kill some people," he added.
«iS •
At top, principal Dan Trent eulogizes Jacob Balda during a
ceremony at Harris Elementary School, along with Jacob's
teacher, Karol Goodman. At left, students lay soil at the base of a
buckeye tree planted in Jacob's memory. At top is the memorial
stone placed alongside the tree at the entrance to the school.
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