A Texas man accused of murder and endangerment from a crash near Emporia this year is into the court process.
Josue Javier Chapa, age 27 of Grulla, Texas, had his first appearance on Lyon County District Court on Monday. Judge Doug Jones set Dec. 3 as a preliminary hearing date and appointed Paul Dean as Chapa’s defense attorney.
Chapa was arrested last week after a fatality wreck in a Kansas Turnpike construction zone just southwest of Emporia in mid-May. Chapa is accused of second-degree murder in the death of motorcyclist Richard Schroeder of St Joseph Missouri, after Chapa’s car struck Schroeder’s motorcycle. Chapa is also accused of one count of endangerment and two counts of aggravated child endangerment.
9 am Saturday: Texas man charged with murder, child endangerment after fatality wreck near Emporia
A fatality wreck near Emporia this past May has now led to formal charges of murder and other counts against a Texas man.
On Friday evening, Lyon County deputies arrested 27-year-old Josue Javier Chapa of Grulla, Texas, on suspicion of one count each of second-degree murder and endangerment. Deputies also arrested Chapa on two counts of suspected aggravated child endangerment. On Saturday, Lyon County Attorney Amy Aranda confirmed to KVOE News formal charges had indeed been filed in the case.
Chapa was involved in a fatality wreck near Emporia this past spring. Chapa’s car was following a motorcycle driven by 60-year-old Richard Schroeder of Saint Joseph, Missouri, with both vehicles traveling northbound through a construction zone on the Kansas Turnpike just southwest of the Emporia exit. Chapa’s car rear-ended Schroeder’s motorcycle for unlisted reasons, causing Schroeder to fall off. Schroeder was not wearing a helmet and was pronounced dead soon after authorities arrived on scene.
The legal complaint, other initial paperwork and first court appearance have not yet posted to the Kansas District Court Public Access Portal.
