Judge in boat explosion trial tells attorney to not resort to 'gutter tactics'

DENVER, N.C. — The judge in a trial for a deadly boat explosion told one of the attorneys Friday he should not resort to gutter tactics.

The family of the teenager who died in the explosion is suing the company that installed the fueling system.

It now looks like closing arguments will be made Monday morning. That may not be soon enough for the defense attorney. He tried to introduce new evidence Friday, without giving the other side time to review it.

The judge said that was the last straw for him.

"You think I'm stupid," Superior Court Judge Forest Bridges said.

The normally reserved judge felt insulted by defense attorney John Holden.

"You need to start apologizing for being a bald-faced liar, because that is in fact what you have been throughout this case," Bridges said.

The judge said Holden said he had no new evidence in the suit against his client, Petroleum Equipment Services. PES installed gas pumps at Hobbs Westport Marina.

Nate Coppick, 19, died in a fiery explosion while refueling a boat there.

Holden tried to call a witness Friday via video and introduce an affidavit to show PES never installed gas nozzles on the tank that Coppick used.

"You have planned your entire trial strategy around this," Bridges said.

The judge said rules of law require that attorneys for both sides have a chance to review all of the evidence before it is presented.

"You can defend this case without resorting to this sort of gutter tactics," Bridges said.

Last year, Bridges made Holden pay a fine for skirting the law in this case.

"You have repeatedly lied," Bridges said.

The judge did not allow the new evidence.

PES's vice president told jurors his company didn't install that gas nozzle.

"I'm deeply saddened that Nathan Coppick lost his life. I don't feel responsible for causing his death," Vice President Chris Wilson said.

Attorneys for the Coppick family said PES admitted to OSHA that it did install the gas nozzles on the marina pumps.

The nozzles were banned by the state because they can cause fires.