COLUMBIA — A man using his phone was the cause of a Columbia crash that killed a Moberly middle school teacher in January, according to a new crash report.

Ashley Apel, 39, was killed on Jan. 23 when a 20-year-old man from Higbee rear-ended the vehicle she was in, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The crash happened on southbound U.S. 63 north of Columbia in a traffic backup from another fatal crash about a mile farther down the highway, according to the crash report.

The driver of the vehicle Apel was in began slowing due to congestion, the crash report states. The Higbee man, who has not been named, was driving behind the vehicle Apel was in and did not stop in time, according to the crash report.

The crash report states the man was speeding and distracted by his phone. The report includes statements from the Higbee man and the driver of the vehicle Apel was in.

"I just rammed them," the man said in the crash report statement. "I was putting my phone down. I was about to make a call. I was looking down at somewhere to put it."

The crash also injured three others that, according to the report, were taken to University Hospital. The Moberly School District said they were teachers at the district.