Popplewell court dates set; his father escorted from courthouse after medical incident

Accused murderer and rapist Kyle Popplewell, 25, was in Dubois County Circuit Court Monday.

At the request of Popplewell’s attorney Steven Ripstra, the omnibus hearing originally scheduled for Monday was moved a month down the road to March 28 at 9 a.m. Ripstra requested the move to give his office more time to work out details on the case.

Popplewell is charged with felony murder, two counts of Level 1 felony rape, Level 1 felony burglary, Level 2 felony criminal confinement, Level 5 felony battery resulting in bodily harm and Level 6 felony intimidation. He allegedly broke into a home at 10778 S. 50W, near St. Henry, rented by Jeff Perry. After breaking in, Popplewell is alleged to have stabbed Perry to death and slashed another woman before confining a girl and raping her multiple times during a police standoff.

Ripstra Law Office was assigned as Popplewell’s pauper counsel in the case.

In addition to moving the omnibus hearing, the court scheduled a pretrial hearing for May 5 at 9 a.m. They also scheduled the criminal trial to begin Monday, June 6 at 8 a.m. Circuit Court Judge Nathan Verkamp set aside the entire week for the trial.

Ripstra stated he would likely file for a change of venue or request the court seek jury members from outside the county to maintain the impartiality of the jury and trial.

After the hearing, Penney Popplewell, Kyle Popplewell’s mother, was in the third-floor women’s bathroom of the courthouse and apparently passed out in the entryway to the bathroom.

After being notified of Mrs. Popplewell’s situation, a probation officer from the Dubois County Probation Office on the same floor called 9-1-1 to report the incident and then retrieved an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) device from the first floor of the courthouse.

Within a few moments, Jasper Fire Chief Kenny Hochgesang arrived at the courthouse to administer first aid to Mrs. Popplewell. In total, seven volunteer firefighters responded to the incident to render assistance. Memorial Hospital Emergency Medical Services also responded.

While firefighters and emergency medical technicians were attempting to ascertain Mrs. Popplewell’s medical needs, her husband Jeff Popplewell became belligerent. He was berating the first responders and had to be escorted from the courthouse by courthouse security and Dubois County Sheriff’s Department deputies.

According to Hochgesang, Mrs. Popplewell declined medical assistance and left on her own recognizance.

According to court records, Mrs. Popplewell, 50, is on probation for an incident from March of 2015 in which she was charged with maintaining a common nuisance, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.