(Updated at 9:58 a.m. 7-14) Arron N. Agler, a former standout quarterback for Otsego High School, has
died as a result of gunshot wounds received Thursday during a robbery of a drive-through carryout in
Barberton.
According to a release supplied by Lt. Brian Jamison of the Barberton Police, Agler, 29, most recently of
Stow, was shot by the store owner after he and an accomplice, later identified as Dennis J. Williams,
54, robbed the 619 Brew Thru in Barberton.
The store owner told the Barberton police he shot one of the robbers after he was threatened with a
firearm. Jamison indicated the motive for the robbery may have been drug-related.
Later that evening, Agler was dropped off at Akron General Hospital. According to one report, his body
was found “dumped outside” the hospital in a parking lot. He died of gunshot wounds, according to the
Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Williams, who authorities indicate was homeless, was last listed with a Tallmadge address. He was
arrested Sunday near a homeless shelter in Akron.
Jamison said the investigation of the incident is ongoing.
Agler was a 1998 graduate of Otsego High School and played football sparingly for two years at Michigan
State University. He transferred to Kent State, but never played there.
“To be honest with you, I’m still kind of in shock over it,” said Dan Cocke, who was Agler’s football
coach at Otsego.
“He was the kid that we would bring in every year for our Little Knights camp to talk to the kids. You
brought him in because he always said the right words. At that point in Arron’s life he set a great
example,” Cocke said adding, “He’s had some difficult times lately.”
Agler was indicted by a Wood County Grand Jury in April of 2008 on a charge of receiving stolen property.
According to Wood County Prosecutor Paul Dobson, Agler was found to be in possession of a stolen
vehicle.
A felony trial date in May of this year was vacated as the case was reassigned to Bowling Green Municipal
Court through an agreement to file a misdemeanor charge. When the case was settled, the felony case was
to have been dismissed.
According to the municipal court, Agler failed to appear for a negotiated plea hearing on July 1. A
warrant for his arrest had been issued and was active at the time of his death.
At Michigan State Agler saw his most extensive play in a 51-7 win over Eastern Michigan in 1999. He was
the No. 3 quarterback, but the first two were injured. In the game Agler was 3-of-8 passing for 37
yards. He appeared in two games that season.
While at Otsego he also was also active in the theatre, playing one of the leads in the senior class
musical.
“He was active in everything,” his high school coach verified.
“I used him as an example to a lot of the kids we have now. Everybody tries to specialize now, saying ‘I
want to play this and not that. I can’t come to this because I have this.’ Arron played three sports,
went to camps in all the sports and never missed anything. If there was a football workout he was there,
even if he had a baseball game that night. He did everything you would ask,” Cocke said.
As a high school athlete, Agler earned numerous honors and was ranked as the Midwest’s No. 11 quarterback
prospect by The National Recruiting Advisor. He earned All-Suburban Lakes League and All-Ohio District
honors and compiled a 20-11 record as a three-year starter. He led the team to the state playoffs as a
junior.
He also lettered in baseball and basketball. In high school he was a two-year class president
and carried a 3.0 grade average.
Agler served as a guest speaker for the DARE program.
“He was a leader of his class, no doubt about it,” Cocke said. “He was just a special kid, he really
was.”
Photo caption: Arron Agler in action for Otsego against Eastwood in 1997 game.