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The case against an Illinois man charged in an accident that killed an Amish buggy driver has been delayed after the defendant asked for a change of judge.
A new court date had not been set for 34-year-old Jeffrey D. Fleming of Staunton, Ill., who is charged with second-degree involuntary manslaughter in the January death of 29-year-old Eli Borntrager of Madison.
Borntrager died when a vehicle r struck his horse-drawn buggy from behind. The crash happened in the outside traffic lane along southbound U.S. 63 near the Route EE exit in Moberly at 10:53 a.m. Jan. 12.
Fleming, who was not injured, told authorities he did not see the buggy in time to avoid it. Fleming initially told authorities he was not talking on a cell phone or texting at the time of the accident.
However, records show Fleming sent a text message to his wife two minutes before the crash was reported.
Fleming told investigators he was text-messaging while driving on nearby U.S. 24 but not while on U.S. 63.
Randolph County Coroner Gerald Luntsford told the Courier-Post earlier that Fleming "made no effort to miss the cart, whatsoever."
Bomtrager died of multiple blunt force trauma, Luntsford said. Survivors included a wife and five children. The horse also was hurt in the crash and had to be put down at the scene by a veterinarian.
The case against an Illinois man charged in an accident that killed an Amish buggy driver has been delayed after the defendant asked for a change of judge.
A new court date had not been set for 34-year-old Jeffrey D. Fleming of Staunton, Ill., who is charged with second-degree involuntary manslaughter in the January death of 29-year-old Eli Borntrager of Madison.
Borntrager died when a vehicle r struck his horse-drawn buggy from behind. The crash happened in the outside traffic lane along southbound U.S. 63 near the Route EE exit in Moberly at 10:53 a.m. Jan. 12.
Fleming, who was not injured, told authorities he did not see the buggy in time to avoid it. Fleming initially told authorities he was not talking on a cell phone or texting at the time of the accident.
However, records show Fleming sent a text message to his wife two minutes before the crash was reported.
Fleming told investigators he was text-messaging while driving on nearby U.S. 24 but not while on U.S. 63.
Randolph County Coroner Gerald Luntsford told the Courier-Post earlier that Fleming "made no effort to miss the cart, whatsoever."
Bomtrager died of multiple blunt force trauma, Luntsford said. Survivors included a wife and five children. The horse also was hurt in the crash and had to be put down at the scene by a veterinarian.
