YURICH TRIAL | Dr. Yurich trial examines physical evidence

YOUNGSTOWN

Prosecutors this afternoon called Dave Ford of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources who investigated the fatal Berlin Reservoir boat crash that occurred in 2015.

Dr. Joseph Yurich, 38, of Poland, faces several charges stemming from the May 9, 2015 crash that left one man injured and another man dead.

Ford recalled recovering flesh from the front of Dr. Yurich’s boat that state Bureau of Criminal Investigations experts said was consistent with the DNA profile of Neal Cuppett, 58, of Akron, who died in the crash.

He also recovered lights from the fishing boat Cuppett was on when the crash occurred.

A BCI investigator said the light on the front of the boat was on during an impact. At least one of the filaments on the boat’s rear light was also on at the time of an impact, the investigator said.

The defense had asked several witnesses who responded to the crash whether the fishing boat’s lights were on when they arrived at the scene.

The court is in recess until 9 a.m. tomorrow when the prosecution plans to call its two final witnesses, the coroner and an accident reconstruction expert. Then the defense will begin to call witnesses.

The trial, which began on Monday, will continue into next week.