MENTOR (AP) — Authorities say a police officer stopped to assist with a traffic stop in Ohio and a driver fatally struck him and fled the scene.

Mentor police say the officer was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police have not released the name of the officer killed in the crash around 1 a.m. on state Route 2.

Police are searching for the driver of a dark-colored, late-model Jeep Wrangler with damage to its right front and possibly right side.

Anyone with information about the crash or the vehicle is asked to contact Mentor police.