Posted on 01/10/2008 6:49:51 PM PST by RDTF
PINEVILLE, Ky. - Two teenagers were charged with murder today after they led police on a high-speed chase in southeastern Kentucky and hit a parked sheriff's cruiser, killing the deputy and K-9 dog inside, authorities said.
"That happens so often. The bad guys walk away ... too many times," said Bell County Sheriff Bruce Bennett, pausing to brush back tears. "Of course, these are young people. But still, they are murderers now."
The driver drove away from an Exxon station in Baxter without paying for $38 worth of gas at 12:35 a.m., authorities said. Police followed the car at least 10 miles west on U.S. 119, into neighboring Bell County.
State police said two state troopers attempted to stop the speeding driver on the winding highway through the mostly rural, rugged Appalachian coal-mining region.
The teen's car veered over the center line at a slight curve in the wet two-lane road and rammed into the deputy's cruiser parked on the shoulder waiting to join the pursuit. Sheriff's Deputy Sean Pursifull, 31, and his police dog King, a 5-year-old German shepherd, were killed, authorities said.
Authorities estimated the teenagers were traveling "well over 100 miles per hour when they left the road," Bennett said.
When Bennett arrived at the scene just minutes after the crash Pursifull, whom he had known since he was a boy, was unresponsive. Still, the sheriff held the deputy's hand for a half-hour as officers worked around them.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at knoxnews.com ...
Why do I have the suspicion that the DA will drop charges to Manslaughter or some “involuntary” charge? Prayers for the officer’s family.
I suspect the charge might have been less than murder had it been someone other than a cop.
ping
Agreed. Tell a cop to KMA and you get assault and battery charges.
And your point is?
I don’t think so.
Makes me wonder about the charges against the passenger.
Unless they can show premeditation on the part of the passenger, I would think his charges would (and should) be reduced.
If he had no idea what had happened until the driver was speeding down the road, what choice did he have in this crime?
Cops often over arrest and over prosecute when a police officer is the victim.
See #9.
And cops usually give the benefit of the doubt to their own.
whatever. He is dead. No room in your post for that.
oh don’t worry, I saw it.
Authorities estimated the teenagers were traveling "well over 100 miles per hour when they left the road," Bennett said.
I have to question the judgment of the LEOs continuing the chase under these conditions.
$38 is certainly not worth the lives of the officers or the teens who also might have been killed.
Once the officers had the license plate number of the car they should have broken off the chase. Then they could identify the owner of the car and pick up the perps at leisure.
Just to try and fend off the flames that will certainly come my way I will say that the teens are primarily at fault and deserve what they get. But you can expect a lawyer to make the same arguments that I just did to cut their sentences.
Many LEO departments have policies that require Officers to brake off pursuit when conditions cause the chase to place the public or officer in danger if the chase continues.
It was dark (12:35 AM), wet and on a winding road in the Appalachian Mountains. There is nothing in the article that states the boys did it on purpose.
The teen's car veered over the center line at a slight curve in the wet two-lane road and rammed into the deputy's cruiser parked on the shoulder waiting to join the pursuit.
http://www.wlky.com/news/15019001/detail.html
Deputy, Police Dog Killed In Deliberate Crash
No it was almost the same thing, the cops were chasing someone over a six pack of beer. An man minding his own business is dead because a cop made a dumb mistake.
Thanks for the link. but nothing in the article states they did it deliberately.
I agree with previous Freepers who said the chase should have been called-off. At 100+mph, an arrest wasn't worth the risk. A man is dead because the pursuing officer didn't exercise proper discretion. I'm not saying the driver is innocent, but you're talking about a teenager who has as much judgement as an intern under Bill Clinton's desk.
My sympathies go out to the innocent officer and his loved ones, but this was not murder.
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