Man now charged with manslaughter in deadly Jefferson City crash

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who was charged with driving while intoxicated in a weekend crash that killed a man in Jefferson City is now charged with manslaughter.

Prosecutors in Cole County filed an amended complaint on Wednesday that now charges Robert Roy Rackers Jr. with driving while intoxicated that caused the death of another, second-degree involuntary manslaughter, misdemeanor reckless driving and driving without insurance.

Rackers, 36, of Mexico, Missouri, is accused of causing the crash that killed Richard Robben.

Robben died on Tuesday afternoon. He was 59. He rode an electric bike on Sunday in the 100 block of East Dunklin Street in downtown Jefferson City when he was hit by Rackers’ 1999 GMC Sonoma that was heading in the opposite direction, court documents in previous reporting say.

Robben was brought to a hospital in Columbia, where he was pronounced dead days later.

A Jefferson City police officer wrote in the probable cause statement that Rackers appeared to be under the influence of marijuana and was found with weed when he was arrested.

Rackers is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond. An arraignment was held on Wednesday and Rackers appeared by video from the jail, where he pleaded not guilty.

A counsel status hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 29 and a preliminary hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14.