South Side Police Chase Suspect Held For Trial
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The man accused of hitting several pedestrians and leading police on a chase on Pittsburgh's South Side back in October was back in court today.
Prosecutors added firearms and DUI charges against D.L. Timothy Fullum before a judge ordered him to stand trial on most of the charges he faced, including criminal attempted homicide after a night of erratic driving on the South Side back in October.
Some of the people who were hit by that car testified at today's hearing.
Among them, John Springer, who remembers trying to cross the street, and then being revived by people who told him a car hit him.
Also on the stand was Julie Green. She was struck in the incident as well, and is still undergoing treatment for those injuries.
"Well, I was just standing waiting for a friend's car at the end of the night, and we were basically struck as the car reversed and hit into us and proceeded with a whole lot of gunshots," said Green. "That's how the night ended."
Police say Fullum was behind the wheel with an alleged blood alcohol level of .136, which is far above the limit of .08
He's also charged with carrying a firearm without a license. That's a result of his conviction for voluntary manslaughter in the stabbing death of a classmate back in 2003.
At one point, Pittsburgh Police Officer Brendan Née testified he saw the erratic movements of the car. He commanded the driver to stop, but the driver came right at him, so Née fired into the car.
A passenger was hurt.
But Fullum's lawyer thinks the officer's actions were not justified and plans to attack his credibility at trial.
"I don't believe they made out the element of specific intent to kill," said Chris Rand Eyster, the defense attorney. "I think the officer's testimony is not credible, and that his testimony is motivated by trying to protect himself and his job relative to his actions that night."
Eyster says whatever discipline Officer Née may have faced is apparently finished because he is on duty now.
RELATED LINKS:
1 Arrested After Hitting 3 Pedestrians & Officer-Involved Shooting (10/20/13)
Hearing For South Side Police Chase Suspect Postponed (10/29/13)
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