Somerset Mayor Eddie Girdler made his first court appearance on Friday stemming from a hit-and-run involving a juvenile last month.
Girdler’s arraignment was postponed after the prosecutor recused himself. Pulaski County Attorney Martin Hatfield filed a motion to step down from the case, citing a conflict of interest.
Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear will either appoint another county attorney or have an attorney from his Special Prosecutions Unit prosecute the case.
Mayor Girdler’s arraignment was rescheduled for October 19. His attorney, Greg Ousley, told WKU Public Radio that the facts don’t support the charges, and that Girdler will plead not guilty.
He was cited by Kentucky State Police for leaving the scene of an accident on August 12. According to witnesses, Girdler allegedly struck a 15-year-old girl on a bicycle in Somerset. While KSP was on the scene investigating, the citation says that Mayor Girdler returned to the area and stated that he was not aware of hitting anyone but did come through the intersection at the same time as the cyclist.
