The Pulaski County deputy, who shot and killed a Fairlawn man last month, has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

According to Pulaski County Commonwealth Attorney Mike Fleenor, deputy David Cressell was justified when he shot and killed John Harvey Collins, 70, near the victim’s residence on Nicewander Way in Fairlawn.

Deputy Cressell had responded to a call on May 29 at 5:20 p.m. at a trailer park on Nicewander Way. On his arrival, several people told the deputy, that Collins had pushed a small child off of a tricycle, as well as chasing the child’s mother with a stick. Collins also assaulted a teenager, who had tried to intervene. Collins struck the teenager in the neck and upper body five to eight times with a stick.

The deputy was told by witnesses that Collins had a large knife. The deputy went to Collins’s residence, which was located in the trailer park. At that time, Collins threw a large stick at the deputy and then proceeded to charge at Deputy Cressell. The deputy told Collins repeatedly to drop the knife. However, Collins continued to advance toward the deputy with the knife in his hand. As Collins got closer, the deputy shot him twice, fatally wounding him.

Fleenor said deputy Cressell shot Collins because he believed that the man was going to kill him.

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