Trooper Joseph James Sepp Jr., 34, was shot during a vehicle pursuit in Summerhill, Pennsylvania, on November 9, 2002, and died of his wounds the following day. The incident began when local officers stopped Mark R. Leach, 45, on suspicion of drunk driving and discovered Leach had a gun. Leach fled in his vehicle and a high-speed pursuit ended in Ebensburg when his car struck a patrol car and a utility pole. As Leach exited his vehicle he opened fire, and Trooper Sepp was struck in the head.

Trooper Sepp had served 10.5 years with the Pennsylvania State Police and is survived by his wife, Jenny, their three children Amanda Jo, Joey, and Andy, and his parents and sister. The suspect, Mark R. Leach, was charged with first-degree murder; the district attorney initially sought the death penalty. Over 1,200 law enforcement officers attended Trooper Sepp’s funeral.

Did anyone in the area at the time witness the pursuit or have information about the crash scene?