WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Seven officers charged this month in connection with a pursuit that left two innocent women dead have been fired by the West Palm Beach Police Department (WPBPD), according to the police union.
Adam Myers, president of the Fraternal Order of Police - West Palm Beach, said the effective date of their termination was Wednesday. Myers expressed disappointment in the firings.
WATCH: Police union says it's disappointed in firings
“The FOP respects the seriousness of this incident, however we are disappointed by the city of West Palm Beach’s decision to terminate the officers involved, prior to allowing the legal process to conclude," Myers said.
WPTV spoke to the attorney representing Officer Christopher Rekdahl, who said he was fired Thursday, and the attorney for Officer William Loayza said his client was terminated on Wednesday.
WPTV is still working to get a response from the attorneys of the other five officers involved: Michael Borgen, Pierre Etienne, Darien Thomas, Austin Danielovich and Brandan Stedfelt.
Stephen Melnick, who represents Loayza, told WPTV’s Ethan Stein he believes the officers were fired prematurely.
“I believe everybody in the United States is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, and they were not afforded these rights,” Melnick said. “If they are acquitted and found not guilty, then why are you firing them if they did not do anything wrong?”
The firings come nearly a year after police said then 23-year-old Neoni Copeland, of Boynton Beach, was speeding away from West Palm Beach police officers, when he crashed into another vehicle on North Congress Avenue on July 30, 2024.
WATCH PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 7 West Palm Beach police officers arrested
Inside the vehicle was Marcia Pochette, 57, and her pregnant daughter, Jenice Woods, 27. Both died as a result of the wreck.
WPTV reported earlier this month, on June 5, that the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges against all seven officers.
Prosecutors said the officers drove past the deadly crash without stopping, they did not notify their superiors or dispatch Boynton Beach police to the scene — and then returned to patrol.
Some drove more than 100 mph on their way back to West Palm Beach, prosecutors said.
WPTV's Zitlali Solache also heard from the family’s attorney, following the officers' termination. Jerome Stone is working with the Pochette family and calls the terminations a step in the right direction.
“The family is starting to feel that, the wheels of justice are finally starting to turn,” said Stone.
Stone said it’s a loss that Junel Pochette, the husband and father, struggles with everyday.
“We can never bring back Junel’s wife, his daughter or the grandchild that they were going to have,” said Stone. “We have never seen anything as horrific as this. To cause the death and then leave, walk away and accept no responsibility. The family struggles with that every day.”
Stone said the officers’ termination is good news, but more needs to be done.
WATCH: Family attorney wants criminal charges
“We can feel that the community is a little more protected because they’re not on the job to do what they did ever again,” said Stone.
As the one-year mark approaches, Stone said attorneys are working to file a lawsuit in federal court.
The drivers of the three vehicles — Officers Danielovich, Etienne and Rekdahl — face two counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving death, a first-degree felony, and one count of official misconduct, a third-degree felony.
The four passengers — Officers Borgen, Loayza, Stedfelt and Thomas — each face one count of official misconduct.
WATCH PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Boynton Beach man arrested in crash that killed mother, daughter
All seven officers pleaded not guilty.
"These officers are entitled to due process and all the facts to come to light before final judgments are made. We will continue to support each of them as their cases proceed in the courts," said Myers, the FOP president.
When reached for comment on Thursday, a spokesperson for WPBPD could not confirm the current employment status of the officers. However, the department said it currently has 19 vacancies, which include “current and future” staffing levels within the department.
Kathleen Joy, a spokesperson for West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James, told WPTV, “This remains an active legal matter, we are unable to provide further comment at this time.”
Read more of WPTV's coverage below:
West Palm Beach
7 officers arrested in connection to crash that killed mom, daughter
West Palm Beach
Officers accused of fleeing crash where 2 died after high-speed chase
Boynton Beach
Why officers are now on leave after crash kills mother, daughter
WPTV Investigates
Public Corruption Unit now investigating fatal Boynton Beach crash
Boynton Beach
