CAMERON COUNTY JUNIOR CHRIS PURCELL KILLED IN CAR ACCIDENT SEPT. 6

EMPORIUM – Cameron County junior Chris Purcell, 17, was killed in a car accident Saturday in Shippen Township, Cameron County.

Purcell, who was a member of the Red Raider boys' basketball team last year, was pronounced dead the scene of a two-vehicle accident by Cameron County Coroner Ted Walters.

According to the WESB News Radio 1490 AM’s web site www.wesb.com, state police said “Nicholas Caton, 25, of Emporium passed another vehicle and never returned to the right lane. Canton’s car then struck Purcell’s SUV causing it to leave the road and roll over.”

According to WESB, three unnamed passengers in Purcell’s vehicle were taken to the hospital with minor to moderate injuries.

Last season, Purcell appeared in three varsity basketball games for Cameron County scoring five points for an average of 1.7 ppg. The Red Raiders went 18-6 overall and 11-2 in the North Tier League, good for second place. Cameron County beat Clarion-Limestone 90-60 in the opening round of the District 9 Class A playoffs before losing to DuBois Central Catholic 52-40 in the quarterfinals. Purcell played in both playoff games but didn’t score. He had five points in the Red Raiders 72-47 win over Oswayo Valley Feb. 5.  

According to Cameron County newspaper personality Mike Bauer, a frequent contributor to D9Sports.com, Purcell was a “great kid and a very promising basketball player.”

“He was a popular kid around the community and never turned a cheek when you stopped to talk to him,” Bauer said. “He was a life guard at the high school pool in the summer and enjoyed diving and playing with the younger kid in the pool. I enjoyed watching him play since the seventh grade and was looking forward to watching him play this year. The entire county is just crushed by this. Sports take a back seat when something like this happens.”

Monetary donations to help the family can be sent to

St. Mark Church - Purcell Memorial

235 East 4th Street

Emporium, PA 15834