PINEVILLE — Judge James Bowling Jr. has removed himself from the case of a 17-year-old charged with the murder of Bell County Sheriff Deputy Sean Pursifull.
David Poppiti allegedly crashed his vehicle into Deputy Pursifull’s parked cruiser following a high speed chase on U.S. Hwy. 119 in January. Deputy Pursifull and his K-9 partner King were killed in the crash.
Poppiti’s 16-year-old passenger faces complicity charges. Neither of the teenagers were seriously hurt in the crash. Poppiti is from New Castle, Del. and the 16-year-old passenger is from Chester County, Pa., according to Kentucky State Police Trooper Walt Meachum.
The two out-of-state teenagers drove away from a Harlan County Exxon gas station without paying for their $38 worth of gas and led Kentucky State Police officers on a high-speed chase on the winding U.S. Hwy. 119.
Bell County Sheriff Bruce Bennett explained, “This started sometime after midnight in Harlan. We got a call to dispatch that this car got gasoline at a service station and drove off without paying for it. [The Kentucky State Police Troopers] were heading south on U.S. 119 toward Bell County and asked that we set up and look for it.”
The pursuit ended when the juveniles’ vehicle crashed into Pursifull’s cruiser.
Bell County Circuit Court Judge James Bowling Jr. believes that he could impartially preside over the case but says that appointing a special judge assures that the Delaware teen will be treated fairly.
The Bell County community collectively mourned Deputy Pursifull’s passing. Judge Bowling’s decision to remove himself from the case comes after much speculation of whether Poppiti could receive a fair trial within the community in which Pursifull formerly resided.
David Poppiti is due back in court May 19.
WYMT-TV contributed to this report. Brandy Calvert is the Senior Staff Writer for the Middlesboro Daily News. Contact her via e-mail at bmurray@middlesborodailynews.com.
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