Hearing set for man accused in fatal buggy wreck

MOBERLY, Mo. (AP) -- A hearing next month in north-central Missouri could determine whether an Illinois man accused in an accident that killed an Amish buggy driver should stand trial.

The Hannibal Courier-Post reports that a Nov. 17 preliminary hearing is planned for 34-year-old Jeffrey Fleming of Staunton, Ill. He is charged with second-degree manslaughter in the January death of 29-year-old Eli Borntrager of Madison, Mo.

Borntrager died when his horse-drawn buggy was struck from behind by a car on U.S. 63 near Moberly.

Fleming told authorities he did not see the buggy and tried to avoid it. Although records showed he sent a text message two minutes before the crash, Fleming has said he was not talking on the cell phone or texting at the time of the accident.


Information from: Hannibal Courier-Post, www.hannibal.net