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Borough mourns loss of respected police officer

By Miles Layton jmlayton@heraldstandard.Com 6 min read
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Kim Palaisa (right) fights back tears as he remembers Perryopolis police officer Richard Champion who died Sunday in a fiery two-vehicle accident. Palaisa and Crystal Lewis are clerks at a district judge's office, and frequently saw and talked to Champion.

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Champion

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A flag flies at half-staff and black ribbons adorn lamp posts at the Perryopolis roundabout in honor of Perryopolis police Officer Richard Champion who died following a two-vehicle crash Sunday on Route 51 near Star Junction.

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Perryopolis police officer Jason Hayes looks to the black ribbon hung at the police department entrance in memory of Officer Richard Champion, who died Sunday when his police car caught on fire after colliding with a sports-utility vehicle.

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Law enforcement officers from Uniontown, Uniontown Hospital and Perryopolis formed a procession as the body of Perryopolis police Officer Richard Champion was transported from the Uniontown Hospital Monday afternoon. Champion died when his police car caught on fire after colliding with a sports-utility vehicle Sunday afternoon.

PERRY TWP. — Crystal Lewis had tear stained cheeks Monday as she talked about Perryopolis police Officer Richard Champion.

Lewis worked with the 35-year-old part-time police officer through her job as a clerk in Magisterial District Judge Richard Kasunic’s office.

“He respected everybody,” Lewis said. “It was always ‘yes ma’am’ or ‘no ma’am’. He was very kindhearted. He was a very good guy.

Her co-worker, Kim Palaisa, couldn’t hide the sad mist in her eyes either.

“You don’t meet a lot of people like that,” said Palaisa. “He was one of the sweetest, nicest, polite, respectful human beings I’ve ever met. He loved his wife and his son. He loved being an officer.”

Champion, of Ligonier, died Sunday following a two-vehicle crash just before 1:15 p.m. on Route 51 near Star Junction.

Police said Champion’s cruiser had its emergency lights and siren activated when it collided with a sports-utility vehicle near Kasunic’s office and the Big Barn Country Store and Deli, a local store on Route 51.

While authorities initially said that Champion was involved in a pursuit, a state police official on Monday called that a “mischaracterization.”

Sgt. Gino Fagnilli, commander of the Belle Vernon station, told the Associated Press that Champion was trying to catch up to a motorist he intended to pull over for speeding when Andrew Bohatch Jr., 59, of Uniontown turned his SUV left from the northbound lane of Route 51, toward the parking lot of the Big Barn.

Fagnilli said investigators don’t believe the motorist even realized that Champion, who was traveling in the southbound lane of Route 51, was trying to catch up and make a traffic stop, according to the AP.

Capt. Steven Kontaxes, Perryopolis police, said the person that Champion was following was not involved in the crash, but police still want to speak with him or her.

Kontaxes said police will make every effort to find the person in that vehicle.

Bohatch remains in critical condition at UPMC-Presbyterian hospital in Pittsburgh, according to a hospital spokesman.

Black ribbons were tied to light poles that surrounded an American flag at half mast at the Perryopolis roundabout in the center of the borough.

There was a black ribbon posted on the front door at the borough’s police department where Chief Roger Beadling talked to borough council members and the community members about the tragedy.

Beadling spoke highly of Champion, an officer who joined the borough’s police force in March. He said Champion, a U.S. Army veteran, had served two tours of duty in Afghanistan.

“Richard Champion was an excellent officer,” Beadling said. “He was well-liked by the community. He was an excellent people person.”

Perryopolis police Officers Jason Hayes and Nick Zocco paid their respects Monday at the Fayette County Coroner’s Office by draping an American flag over Champion’s remains.

The coroner’s office said an autopsy will be conducted in Pittsburgh by Dr. Cyril Wecht, a forensic pathologist.

When Champion and Bohatch’s vehicles collided, the police cruiser caught on fire.

People nearby attempted to rescue Champion from the burning vehicle, but could not, Kontaxes said.

Monday morning, state police crash reconstruction specialists Todd Stephenson and John Weaver were in Perryopolis, working on their analysis of the crash.

Weaver said that it is too soon to speculate as to why the police cruiser was on fire.

While police sorted the details, others folks had to deal with the news that Champion was gone.

Lewis said she was unable to look at the traffic citations that Champion had written during the weekend until she absolutely needed too.

“I didn’t want to see his handwriting,” Lewis said with a heavy sigh. “I just couldn’t look at it. Later when someone came in for a ticket, she recognized the officer’s name who had written the ticket. She said he was a good guy.”

Lewis’ voice trailed off as she and recalled the last time she saw Champion – Friday.

“He said I’ll be seeing you girls next week,” she said.

Champion leaves behind a 16-month-old son and wife, Dawn.

Palaisa’s hands trembled a bit as she looked down at her desk and added, “He talked about how his wife’s birthday was Monday and his son.”

Nearby at the Co-Go’s gas station on Route 51, Beverly Homer and Jamie Livingston were in a somber mood while they worked their shift. They said Champion checked in each morning with the clerks at the station and at the end of his shift to make sure they were safe.

“He was the best,” said Homer, manager at the store. “He was there for you if you needed it. He was a warm-hearted kind of guy who cared about the clerks. He was there for you, a real nice guy.”

Livingston recalls, “You’d start a shift and he would come in and we’d start to talk. Then he would go do traffic duty. He would stop in again later to make sure everything was OK.”

Homer has worked at Co-Go’s for 33 years.

“This is a big loss for the town,” she said. “Nothing like this has ever happened before – tragic.”

Livingston said she was working Sunday when events unfolded.

“People started coming in and saying there was an accident,” she said.

“It was heartbreaking when I heard about this. I was shocked.”

Livingston’s voice strained as she talked about Champion’s family.

“My heart is broken for his wife and family. I can’t imagine what they are going through right now. He talked about them often. He loved them a lot. Tragic.”

As of late Monday, gofundme site has raised $1,655 for Champion’s family, and other groups are trying to raise funds and/or collect gifts for the family.

Gov. Tom Corbett has ordered flags at the state Capitol and two western Pennsylvania counties to be flown at half-staff to honor Champion.

The flags at state facilities in Fayette and Westmoreland counties will be lowered until sunset the day that Champion is buried.

According to Fayette County Emergency Management Agency, the funeral services were announced Monday afternoon.

A public viewing will be held from 2-8 p.m. Thursday at McCracken Funeral Home at 144 E. Main St. in Ligonier.

A public funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Holy Trinity Church on West Main Street in Ligonier.

A public procession will take place after the funeral service from Holy Trinity to Snowball Hill Cemetery on Route 381 in Cook Township. The burial will be private.

Any military or public safety personnel interested in participating in the funeral service should be in place by 8:30 a.m. Friday.

Champion will receive full military and law-enforcement honors at his funeral service and burial.

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