Teen involved in double-fatality crash on Main bound over for trial

A Welch, Oklahoma teen waived his preliminary hearing in Jasper County Circuit Court this morning and was bound over for trial on a felony charge of resisting arrest by fleeing.

Colton F. Goddard, 18, will be arraigned in Division III 9 a.m. January 2.

Goddard was charged with the felony and a misdemeanor, careless and imprudent driving following a double-fatality crash at Casey's on Main in Joplin September 2.

Goddard and Taran Morris, 20, Miami, Oklahoma were allegedly riding their motorcycles at high rates of speed down Main and took off after a Joplin police officer attempted to stop them at a light.

The police department's news release indicated Goddard and Morris were traveling at speeds of 80 to 100 miles per hour down Main, running red lights in the process. Morris collided with a motorcycle driven by Mark McGowen, 60, as he pulled out of Casey's.

Both men were killed.

The Joplin Police Department recommended two charges of murder in the second degree against Goddard, according to the probable cause statement, but the Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office elected to file the one felony and misdemeanor.