Another Chapter Unfolds in Deadly Crash that Killed Two Savannah Teens

Another chapter unfolds in the deadly crash that killed two Savannah teens. The Buchanan County prosecutor today filed charges against 36-year-old James Bottorff of St. Joseph. Two families continue to grieve the loss of 14-year-old Emily Shepard and 18-year-old Crystal "Alex" Payne. But today comes what one family calls a beginning to an end. Bottorff, wearing a back brace, was escorted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol to the Buchanan County Law Enforcement Ccenter. He is being held on two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Bond is set at $50,000. Cccording to troopers` crash report, on April 3, Bottorff struck Crystal Payne`s car as she was turning into her driveway on W Highway in Buchanan County. The crash killed Payne and her passenger Emily Shepard. Botorff`s SUV then went off the roadway and caught on fire. According to Shepard`s mother, Payne`s brother pulled Bottorff from his burning SUV. "I don`t know if he`s feeling guilt from saving this man that took his sister and my daughter, but I told him `don`t feel guilt, don`t feel guilt. This is the way it`s supossed to be.` This man will look at these girls everyday. He will have no quality of life; we have no quality of life now," Kif Buis, Shepard`s mother, says. Buis says Bottorff`s arrest makes her feel stronger and she says it`s helping her to make sense of the tragedy. Memorial funds have been set up for both families. You can make donations in memory of Emily Shepard at any Farmer`s State Bank. All Nodaway Valley Banks will accept donations in memory of Crystal Payne. Bottorff will be arraigned at the Buchanan County Courthouse on Friday. He faces a maximum eight-year sentence for the teens` deaths.