Earlier today, we reported that former Bachelor star Chris Soules was arrested after fleeing the scene of a fatal car accident.
Soules was immediately taken into custody after being chased down and apprehended by local police in his Iowa hometown.
He appeared before a judge in Buchanan County Court this morning and was released on $ 10,000 bond pending trial.
It may be quite some time before we find out what the legal system has in store for Soules.
But whatever the outcome in court, Soules will undoubtedly carry the burden of his actions for the rest of his days.
According to sources close to the case, Soules drove his Chevy pickup truck into the back of a tractor being driven by 66-year-old Kenneth Mosher.
Now, a relative of Mosher’s named Richard Roepke is speaking to Radar Online and revealing for the first time that Soules was well acquainted with the victim and his family.
“Everyone around here is in shock,” Richard Roepke told Radar moments ago.
“He knew them, they’re neighbors. We’re feeling very sad, everyone knows Chris’ family.”
Roepke added that while he feels sympathy for the Soules family, he believes Chris should be punished for his involvement in Mosher’s death.
“Chris has created his own problems,” Roepke stated.
“This is life changing for him. He has to deal with it himself. This isn’t the direction his family wanted him to go in.”
Roepke went on to state that he believes Soules’ “mistake” is the result of a generational inability to accept responsibility.
“It’s Chris’ age and generation, it’s not right,” Roepke said.
“It was huge mistake. That will haunt him for the rest of his life.”
One of the questions that Roepke would like to see answered during Soules’ trial is whether or not the former reality star – dubbed “Prince Farming” during his time on The Bachelor – knew that Mosher was dead when he left the scene of the accident:
“We’re trying to figure out why he left the scene,” Roepke said.
“This is something he has to share and the rest of us can only speculate. He may have known Kenny was already gone at that point. What was going through his head? It is a bad day.”
Following Soules’ arraignment this morning, his attorney issues a statement saying that the 35-year-old “was devastated to learn that Kenneth Mosher passed away. His thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Mosher’s family.”
We’ll have further updates on this story as more information becomes available.
