Jackson man waives arraignment in manslaughter case

A Jackson man waived arraignment Monday on felony charges connected to an April 5 crash that killed a Glenallen, Mo., teenager.

Bobby Joe Abernathy, 34, faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree assault in connection with the crash that killed 17-year-old Amelia Fisher.

Abernathy was driving a Slumberland Furniture truck west on Highway 34 near Burfordville when it crossed the centerline and collided head-on with a sport-utility vehicle driven by Fisher's friend, 18-year-old Erin Cordell of Marble Hill, Mo.

The crash killed Fisher and injured Cordell, Abernathy and Abernathy's passenger, Eric Smith, who testified at a preliminary hearing earlier this month that he had seen Abernathy smoking marijuana several times in the hours leading up to the crash.

At the Oct. 11 hearing, Smith said Abernathy declined his offer to drive because it was Smith's first day on the job, and he did not have the proper licensing yet.

In court Monday, Judge Benjamin Lewis turned down a defense request to modify the terms of Abernathy's bond, which require him to wear a SCRAM alcohol-monitoring device.

Abernathy's attorney, Stephen Wilson, asked to remove that requirement because of the cost of the device, which was installed at Abernathy's expense.

Assistant prosecuting attorney Angel Woodruff said the state would rather Abernathy be incarcerated until trial but said she would be open to removing the alcohol-monitoring requirement if Lewis also changed the terms of his bond from cash or surety to cash only, meaning he would have to pay the full $75,000 to remain free.

Lewis ordered the current bond conditions to remain in place and continued the case to Dec. 9 for plea or trial setting.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

Highway 34 and Route U, Burfordville, Mo.