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Updated: 9:15 PM Jan 11, 2008
NEW INFORMATION: Deputy Killed In Crash; Teens Plead Not Guilty to Murder
Prosecutor: Teens could be tried as adults. Two teens charged with murder after a crash that killed an eastern Kentucky deputy are due in court for their arraignments in Bell County
Posted: 6:31 AM Jan 10, 2008Reporter: WYMT; WSAZ NewsChannel 3; The Associated Press Email Address: news@wsaz.com |
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66 Comments 
UPDATE: Two teenagers who now face murder charges after killing a Sheriff's Deputy in Kentucky were in a Bell County court today.
The teens are charged with murder after crashing into a Sheriff's Deputy's cruiser killing both Deputy Sean Pursifull and his K-9 partner.
Today's arraignment was closed because the teens have been charged as juveniles.
Police say the 17-year-old driver and his 16-year-old passenger took off without paying for gas.
They led police on a high-speed chase before hitting the parked police cruiser.
PIKEVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Two teens charged with murder after a crash that killed an eastern Kentucky deputy are expected in court.
Kentucky State Police Trooper Walt Meachum says the teens are to appear in Bell County District Court on Friday. The proceedings are closed because the suspects are juveniles.
The names of the 17-year-old driver from Delaware and a 16-year-old passenger from Pennsylvania have not been released.
Bell County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Pursifull and his police dog died when the teens' car rammed into his parked cruiser during a high-speed chase early Thursday.
Funeral services for the deputy are scheduled Sunday at the Bell County High School gymnasium, followed by burial in Pineville.
NEWARK, Del. (AP) - Delaware state police say two youths identified as suspects in a crash Thursday that killed a sheriff's deputy in eastern Kentucky had been stopped and questioned early Sunday by a Delaware trooper.
According to state police, a Delaware trooper on routine patrol saw three men acting suspiciously shortly after midnight.
Authorities identified the three as 17-year-old David Poppiti of
New Castle, 16-year-old Eric Gerren of Lincoln University, Pa., and
an 18-year-old.
Officials say when the trooper approached and questioned the
men, Poppiti threw a bag of marijuana on the ground and ran. Gerren
and the other man were taken into custody but not charged, and
Gerren was turned over to his father.
A prosecutor says two teens charged with murder after a crash that killed an eastern Kentucky deputy could be tried as adults.
Bell County prosecutor Neil Ward says the 17-year-old driver and his 16-year-old passenger should be treated as adult defendants because of their age, the nature of the crime and because a gun was allegedly found in their car.
Ward and Kentucky State Police did not identify the teens because they have been charged as juveniles. However, 17-year-old David Poppiti and 16-year-old Eric J. Gerren were named in a statement Friday from Delaware State Police, who said they had made a traffic stop on the teens Sunday.
A public defender in Bell County says she and her staff are representing Poppiti and Gerren. She confirms they pleaded not guilty during their closed arraignment today and declined to comment further.
CLICK ON LINK TO WATCH VIDEO FROM CRASH SCENE
Latest Comments
i was ib jail with poppiti, and no offense to anyone on here, but back off, he really is sorry, he meant no harm, it was an accident. my blessing to the dog and officer, but you dont know how he is doing, he wants a life that helps people, he is very good hearted. his mom is also, i saw them together on visitation, but they were scared, had no clue as to what to do, just like we would do! back off a little bit, they didnt intent to kill anyone. and they should be cut a little slack. theyve had enuf punishments, we are kids!!!!!!
if people on here don't know what they r talking about then they don't need post a comment if u don't know what happen i live in pineville i knew sean very well he was a good cop have any of u ever thought people that knew him would get on here and read what u all have wrote!!!!!!!!!!! by the way he was back up he was not siting on the side of the road!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Charlene) My seatbelt question was entirely warranted. While most of you are busy pointing fingers some of us look at tragedies in order to prevent them from happening again. If the officer was parked along the road with the intention of pulling out to pursue the suspects he should have had the seatbelt on. No time to put it on while accelerating while in pursuit. As for whether it was a t-bone or sirloin it appears as if the cruiser was hit from behind. In that case seatbelt definitely could have made a difference. You can bet if I knew that a vehicle would be driving past me recklessly and at a high rate of speed that my seatbelt would be on. I HAVE A REPLY TO THAT, OFFICER PURSIFUL ALWAYS, LET ME SAY ALWAYS, WORE HIS SEATBELT.HE WAS ONE OF MY FRIENDS, HE KNEW A HEAD OF TIME WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND HE (AS ALWAYS) WAS READY TO DO HIS DUTY. SO IF YOU ARE NOT 100% SURE OF WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT, SHUT UP!
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