Rocco Joseph can take his finals, hearing canceled in fatal hit-and-run case

The initial appearance of Rocco Joseph, 18, Joplin, on leaving the scene of a fatality accident, will not be held October 7 as originally scheduled.

Cherokee County, Kansas District Court records show Judge Maradeth Frederick canceled the hearing, though there are no documents indicating why.

The decision comes after Joseph's attorney, Thomas J. Bath, Leawood, Kansas, filed a motion asking that the hearing be delayed at least a week because his client, who is attending college in Mississippi has finals that week.

Court records indicate the hearing has not been rescheduled as of this morning.

Joseph was allegedly behind the wheel of a vehicle that struck and killed Gary LaTurner, 60, Galena, August 19, 2023.

The initial hearing for Joseph's father, John Joseph II, a Joplin dentist, on a charge of leaving the scene of a fatality accident, is still scheduled for 1 p.m. October 7 in front of Judge Frederick, according to court records. 

The elder Joseph is also charged with "contributing to a child's misconduct or deprivation."

Reportedly, Cherokee County District Attorney Kurt Benecke is alleging Dr. Joseph was the driver of another vehicle that arrived on the scene following the accident, then left without doing anything for LaTurner.