Identities released of 2 others dead in shooting, fire that killed Clark County deputy

The identities of two people killed Sunday in a shooting and fire that claimed the life of Clark County Sheriff’s deputy Matthew Yates were confirmed today by the Clark County Coroner’s Office.

Cole White, 27, of South Charleston and Jodie Arbuckle, 47, of Springfield, were killed after gunfire evolved into a standoff and ended with the mobile home where it happened destroyed by fire at the Harmony Estates Mobile Home Park outside of Springfield.

Deputies “were met with gunfire” when they responded to a report of a break-in at the mobile home park on Sunday, Clark County Sheriff Deb Burchett said.

A neighbor called 911 to report the break-in of his neighbor’s, identified as White, at 1132 Ashwood Drive in Harmony Twp. White is suspected by family members to have shot Yates after shooting a woman who relatives say was his mother, identified as Arbuckle.

Deputies and other law enforcement could not get to Yates for hours after he was shot. When they did get him out, the mobile home caught fire and was destroyed.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting. Ohio BCI routinely investigates shootings involving law enforcement.

Relatives of Arbuckle and White said the two remained in the mobile home until after the fire was extinguished. Their causes of death are under investigation.

Another deputy was injured Sunday, but not by gunfire, during an attempt to rescue Yates, Burchett stated in a release. The special operations team member was taken to a local hospital but is now recovering at home.

The Division of State Fire Marshal Fire & Explosion Investigations Bureau is continuing its investigation of the fire, State Fire Marshal spokesman Andy Ellinger said.

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