KOAM TV 7 Joplin and Pittsburg News Weather SportsWarrant issued for truck driver charged in Joplin family's death
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Updated Feb 2, 2010 - 6:15 PM CST
A man charged with negligent homicide in a highway crash nearly two years ago is now wanted by the law.
James Buchholz was driving a truck in Oklahoma on March 9, 2008 when police say he rear-ended a car, killing four people inside.
Robert and Melissa Hayes, and their sons, Tyler and Colby, all of Joplin died.
According to police documents Buchholz told officers that he might have fallen asleep.
Buchholz was scheduled for trial on Monday in Mayes County, Oklahoma but did not show up.
The judge issued a warrant for his arrest and increased his bond to $100,000.
Updated March 21, 2008 - 1:54 PM CST
A week after deadly crash, Joplin family laid to rest
Members of a Joplin family are laid to rest Monday, a little more than a week after a deadly crash in Oklahoma.
Services were held Monday afternoon at Forest Park Baptist Church in Joplin for Robert and Melissa Hayes, and their two teenage sons, Tyler and Colby.
The family had lived in Joplin for about nine years, where Robert was a student at Missouri Southern and Melissa was a homemaker. Tyler was a sophomore at Joplin High School, and a member of the Junior ROTC. Colby was an eighth grader at Memorial Middle School.
Officials say these four members of the Hayes family were traveling to Dallas, Texas for a medical appointment when a semi-truck rear-ended their vehicle at a traffic light in Pryor, Oklahoma on March 9.
All four were killed.
The driver of the semi has been charged with four counts of negligent homicide, to which he has plead not guilty.
Funeral services set for Joplin family killed in crash
Funeral services for the Hayes Family are under the direction of Stevens Memorial Chapel in Pryor, Oklahoma. Services will be held Monday, March 17, at 1:00 p.m. at Forest Park Baptist Church in Joplin.
Four members of the Hayes family were traveling to Dallas, Texas for a medical appointment for one of their sons.
Police say a semi-truck rear-ended their vehicle at a traffic light in Pryor, Oklahoma killing all four, Robert and Melissa Hayes, and two teenage sons, Tyler and Colby.
Driver pleads not guilty
The man charged in the deaths of the four members of the Hayes family says he is not guilty.
James Buchholz appeared in Mayes County, Oklahoma Tuesday to plead not guilty, where he is charged with four counts of negligent homicide.
Court documents indicateBbuchholz told police "I don't know what happened, I might have fell asleep."
Trucking company speaks out about crash
Prime Incorporated employed James Buchholz, the driver charged with four counts of negligent homicide in the deaths of members of a Joplin family.
The Hayes family was traveling to Dallas, Texas for a medical appointment for one of their sons, Tyler.
All four were killed on Highway 69 in Pryor, Oklahoma when the truck driven by Buchholz rear-ended their vehicle.
The medical examiners office says Colby Hayes and Robert Hayes both died of blunt force trauma. The autopsy results for Melissa and Tyler are still pending.
Court documents indicate Buchholz told police he might have fallen asleep.
Prime Incorporated is based in Springfield, Missouri. A spokesperson for the company says this a major tragedy.
He says this accident and the charges against Buchholz are having a grave impact on all of the prime employees both drivers and in house associates.
Prime Incorporated says Buchholz joined the company in 2002 through an acquisition out of company in Oklahoma.
Prime says all of their trucks are equipped with satellite communication and tracking devices through a company called Qualcomm.
They say the GPS provides information about where the trucks have been and are going.
Prime Incorporated also says all of its truck drivers are required to follow federal motor carrier safety guidelines. They are also required to log their travel time and rest hours.
Sgt. Bob Crittenden, with the Pryor, Oklahoma Police, says his department is working on a computer reconstruction of the accident to find out what may have happened.
He says he is also requesting the satellite information on Buchholz vehicle from Prime Incorporated.
Trucker who crashed into and killed Joplin family says he may have fallen asleep
Police say a truck driver who crashed into a vehicle and killed four members of a Joplin family has been charged with negligent homicide in the case. Police say the driver admits he might have fallen asleep at the wheel.
Robert and Melissa Hayes, along with two their sons, 15 year old Tyler and 14 year old Colby, were rear ended by a semi truck at a stoplight on Highway 69 in Pryor, Oklahoma on Sunday afternoon.
Both vehicles caught fire and burned.
The Hayes' were headed to Texas, going for medical treatment for one of the boys.
The Pryor Police Department said the driver of the truck, James Bucholz, was injured and taken to a hospital. Bucholz has been charged in Mayes County with four counts of negligent homicide. Court documents indicate he told police he did not know what happened, and that he might have fallen asleep.
The Hayes family have another son serving in the military. He was informed of the crash Monday and is on his way back to Joplin.
A candlelight vigil to remember the Hayes family was planned for Tuesday evening.
The images below are courtesy of the Pryor Daily Times:
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