A jury from outside Waupaca County will decide a hit-and-run death case from six years ago. That was the ruling Wednesday of Circuit Judge Phillip Kirk in the case of 26-year-old Rory Kuenzi of Weyeauwega. Kuenzi is charged with the hit and run along with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle in the death of Kevin McCoy in October of 2004.
Walter Engel, who was charged with perjury for allegedly making false statements while under oath, was also bound over for trial at the December 2009 joint preliminary hearing, according to a state DOJ press release.
Judge Kirk cited the intense media coverage of Kuenzi’s alleged role in the deer slaughter case from January 2009 as making it difficult to get an impartial jury for this case from Waupaca County. Where the jury will come from has not yet been decided.
Kuenzi’s trial is slated to start November 15th. The judge also ruled that Engel will have a separate trial.
Jack Barry-WDUX