Report: Perkins death ruled Accidental

BBB TV-12 has received the police report on how events that led up to Officer James David Perkins death on June 18th, after being found in his vehicle submerged in water off of North Kentucky Street, in Kingston.

The report from the Kingston Police Department states that they were called to the scene first to begin the investigation of a car in the water.

After determining a body was in the car, then identifying that the man in the vehicle was indeed a uniformed officer with the Oliver Springs Police Department. The Kingston PD notified the District Attorney’s Office, where the DA notified Police Chief, Kenneth Morgan. They then notified the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Highway Patrol Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) to assist.

The medical examiner, Dr. Boduch, stated that he thought Perkins had been deceased around 12 hours prior to finding his vehicle.

After the body was identified, the investigators went to speak with Perkins wife. She, according to the report, stated they were having relationship issues and were in the process of a divorce..

The report states that investigators determined Perkins had been drinking prior to his death as they made contact with a Mr. Tim Christopher who stated he was with Perkins after midnight the day he was found and he had been drinking. Christopher was with him in his vehicle and he stated that Perkins was driving erratically. Christopher stated in the report that he was let out at the vehicle at the North Kentucky, Street, Kingston Exxon near the interstate and that was the last time he saw Perkins.

The report indicates Perkins had sped off from the Store and went up the wrong way on the interstate ramp and then turned around and went northbound on North Kentucky Street.

Perkins vehicle was found lodged beside a boat house around 10 am the morning of June 18th. The report also states that preliminary autopsy reports said Perkins had an enlarged heart. Police are still awaiting the toxicology report from the Autopsy. The police report will be finalized when when they do receive the final autopsy results.

We’ll have more on that as it becomes available.