Man dies after police make wheelchair water rescue - WNEM TV 5

A Port Clinton man has died after police made a water rescue Monday night.

Thomas Miller, 52, fell into the water along the Jefferson Pier in a motorized wheelchair around 10 p.m. Witnesses said he accelerated rapidly off the floating dock into the water. One officer jumped in to save him, while another got a rope to bring the two men back to shore.

Miller was taken to the hospital afterwards. He passed away Tuesday around 5 a.m.

According to the police report, Miller's wife, Gail, said Thomas was diagnosed with a rare disease similar to multiple sclerosis around 2006 and started losing mobility. She said he suffered depression because of it.

Gail said when she arrived home after work Monday she found Thomas intoxicated. After an argument, he left the house on his scooter. When she tried calling his cell phone he would not answer at first, but finally told her he was at the pier and said, "Gail, I can't take it anymore." When Gail arrived at the pier, police were already trying to rescue Thomas.

There were no malfunctions with the scooter, according to Gail. She told detectives she believes Thomas deliberately drove into the water to commit suicide. She also said that Thomas was able to walk short distances with the assistance of a walker, but his upper body strength was good and he would have been able to swim, if he wanted.

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