Updated May 19, 2017, 9:50 a.m. PT: The media circus surrounding Chris Soules since he crashed his truck into a tractor, killing his neighbor, already has an end date. Us Weekly reports that Soules will appear before a judge for a pretrial conference on July 11, and his trial will begin July 19 at 9 a.m. in Buchanan County, Missouri. Soules has been charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident and pleaded not guilty.
Updated May 16, 2017, 5:31 p.m. PT: After filing a motion to dismiss and being rebuffed by a judge on Monday, Chris Soules and his legal team tried a different tact on Tuesday — Soules submitted a written arraignment pleading not guilty to the charge of leaving the scene of a fatal accident.
In doing so, the former Bachelor waived his right to an open court arraignment, asking instead for the court to expedite the trial and set the trial date. While entering this plea may seem like a "Hail Mary," if approved it will allow Soules to avoid the spectacle inherent with appearing in court for an open arraignment.
Additionally, Soules asked that the state file a bill of particulars outlining what part of the Iowa code he specifically violated.
In the documents, Gina Messamer, one of his attorneys, noted that "a Bill of Particulars should be allowed when the charge and minutes do not sufficiently inform the defendant of the evidence, which the prosecution will use against him."
If the judge summarily rejects Soules' written arraignment, he will have to attend the open court arraignment scheduled for May 23.
Updated May 16, 2017, 8:25 a.m. PT: Attempts by Chris Soules' legal team to have felony charges against him dropped were denied by a judge Monday. The judge said the motion to dismiss was "procedurally moot."
The motion to dismiss was filed ahead of Soules' first scheduled court appearance on May 1. In court documents, his lawyers made the case that because he called authorities and stayed at the scene until medical help arrived, Soules shouldn't be charged with leaving the scene of the accident where his neighbor, Kenneth Mosher, was killed.
"His attorneys are confident that once all the evidence is made public, it will show Soules acted reasonably and did everything in his power to provide aid to Mr. Mosher," Soules' legal team said in a statement.
Updated May 8, 2017, 12:11 p.m. PT: Former Bachelor Chris Soules has now been officially charged in Buchanan County, Iowa, with the hit and run that resulted in 66-year-old farmer Kenneth Mosher's death.
According to the DA's office, this is akin to the same charge Soules was initially arrested for, reported as "leaving the scene of a deadly crash, resulting in death."
This latest development comes just days after the state of Iowa argued against a petition by Soules' legal team to dismiss the charges based on a 911 call proving Soules did alert authorities to the tragic accident and his role in it.
However, Soules "failed to return to and remain at the scene of the accident," per the formal charges filed, choosing instead to leave before authorities arrived.
Updated May 3, 2017, 12:30 p.m. PT: The State of Iowa is arguing now that the motion filed by Chris Soules' legal team on Monday, asking that charges against him be dismissed, should be denied.
According to a motion filed by the state, there is still reason to believe Soules was intoxicated at the time of the crash that killed another Iowa man. The state argues that Soules was seen purchasing beer at a local convenience store just hours before the crash, and that empty containers matching the kind of beer he was seen purchasing were found in and around his car.
The state also argues that Soules didn't fulfill his legal obligation to report the crash to police.
"Defendant’s motion to dismiss recognizes the defendant was to immediately return to the scene of the accident or inform the law enforcement authorities where he could be located,” the May 2nd filing reads. "Defendant did neither. Furthermore, the only permissible reasons for which Defendant could leave the scene of the accident in the first place was to seek necessary aid or report the accident to law enforcement authorities. Defendant did neither after fleeing the scene."
Updated May 1, 2017, 2 p.m. PT: Chris Soules' legal team filed a motion today asking that charges against him for allegedly leaving the scene of a fatal accident be dismissed.
Audio from the 911 call Soules placed after he rear-ended a tractor last week shows that he stayed at the scene until medical help arrived. His legal team is arguing that he only left the scene after he knew the victim, Kenneth Mosher, was receiving medical help.
Soules is currently scheduled to make his next court appearance May 2.
Meanwhile, Mosher, the 66-year-old man killed in the crash, was laid to rest Monday at an Iowa cemetery. Soules and his family did not attend the funeral.
Updated April 28, 2017, noon PT: 911 audio released from Chris Soules' accident reveal that while he did leave the scene before police arrived, he didn't flee immediately following the crash.
In fact, Soules was the one who called 911. In the call, he can be heard identifying himself and explaining his role in the crash. In a statement, his legal team call reports that he fled the scene "knee-jerk" and "incorrect."
"Soules’ 911 call, released yesterday, proved that the initial knee-jerk coverage of this accident was incorrect. While initial reports suggested Soules fled the scene, the 911 call confirms that Soules in fact was the one who contacted law enforcement immediately," the statement reads. "During the call, he clearly identified himself and explained his role in the terrible accident. Soules attempted to resuscitate Mr. Mosher and remained on the scene with him until emergency medical personnel arrived."
Regardless, Soules has been charged with a Class D felony related to the crash, which could come with jail time, probation and fines.
Updated April 27, 2017, 11:30 a.m. PT: According to sources who live near Chris Soules in Iowa, Soules knew the victim of the deadly crash that led to his arrest.
"Everyone around here is in shock," a family member of Kenneth Mosher, the man killed in the crash, told Radar Online. "He knew them, they're neighbors. We're feeling very sad, everyone knows Chris' family."
The relative added, "We're trying to figure out why he left the scene. This is something he has to share and the rest of us can only speculate. What was going through his head? It is a bad day."
Meanwhile, Soules was forced to surrender his passport and is wearing an electronic ankle monitor at his home while he awaits his next court date. An insider told Us Weekly that Soules "had plans to leave the country."
Updated April 26, 2017, 8:45 a.m. PT: Chris Soules has broken his silence on his involvement in a fatal crash on Monday — sort of.
A spokesperson for the former Bachelor star issued a statement, saying, "Chris Soules was involved in an accident Monday evening (April 24) in a rural part of Iowa near his home. He was devastated to learn that Kenneth Mosher, the other person in the accident, passed away. His thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Mosher’s family."
In the wake of the scandal, Soules has also deleted his Instagram account, though his Twitter and Facebook pages were still active as of Wednesday morning.
Original story:
Former Bachelor star Chris Soules has been arrested following his involvement in a fatal car crash, sources say.
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According to TMZ, Soules was arraigned Tuesday morning on a charge of leaving the scene of a fatal accident. The accident reportedly happened around 8:20 p.m. on Monday night in Iowa, about 15 miles south of Soules' Arlington farm. Court documents say he was driving a Chevy pickup and rear-ended a John Deere tractor, causing it to crash in a ditch. The driver of the tractor was reportedly taken by ambulance to a hospital where he died. Reports say Soules left the scene.
Chris Soules arraignment in drunk driving crash
Chris Soules arraignment in drunk driving crash
Witnesses who saw the crash happen identified Soules and called police to report that he was involved according to an incident report obtained by TMZ.
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According to local station KWWL TV, police later found Soules at a residence (they don't specify whether it was his own home or someone else's), but it was hours after the accident because of the time it took to obtain a search warrant. Police records say Soules was "in possession of alcoholic beverage containers" when the crash happened, but we don't know whether he had open containers in his vehicle. Because it took police so long to take Soules into custody, reports say it's going to be hard to prove whether he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.
Soules was previously convicted of driving while intoxicated in 2006.
The Buchanan County attorney told KWWL TV that Soules has not been cooperating with law enforcement. He posted his $10,000 bail and has reportedly been released from custody with a preliminary hearing set for May 2.
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Defendant’s motion to dismiss recognizes the defendant was to immediately return to the scene of the accident or inform the law enforcement authorities where he could be located,” the May 2nd filing read. “Defendant did neither. Furthermore, the only permissible reasons for which Defendant could leave the scene of the accident in the first place was to seek necessary aid or report the accident to law enforcement authorities. Defendant did neither after fleeing the scene.