On Tuesday, the Leavenworth County district attorney’s office charged deputy Robert L. Peterman with one count of vehicular homicide, according to Deborah Owens, a district attorney’s office spokesperson. That same day, Peterman’s attorney, Kiann McBratney, appeared and entered a not-guilty plea on Peterman’s behalf.

Owens said Peterman’s next appearance has not yet been scheduled because the court system is planning to find a judge from another community to preside over the matter.

On Dec. 29, 2004, 19-year-old Fairmount Township volunteer firefighter Jared Moore was driving north on 155 Street in Basehor while responding to the scene of a late-night injury accident. When Moore turned left onto Donahoo Road, his vehicle was struck from behind by a sheriff’s department patrol car that Peterman was driving.

Both drivers were responding to an injury accident north of Basehor when the fatal wreck occurred. Peterman was also injured in the crash that killed Moore.

On Tuesday, Leavenworth County Sheriff Dave Zoellner said that after charges were filed, that Peterman was placed on administrative leave without pay.

The Kansas Highway Patrol completed its reconstruction of the fatal accident about two weeks ago. Although details of this particular reconstruction have not been released, Owens, speaking generally, said a reconstruction can be conducted to determine, among other things, how fast vehicles involved in an accident were traveling.

Moore had lived in Basehor for the four years preceding his death and became a probationary firefighter in August 2004. He was to become a full-fledged firefighter in two years. His death marked the first time in nearly 30 years that a Fairmount Township firefighter had been killed in the line of duty.