Raleigh Christmas Parade float driver could face 150 days in prison if convicted, Wake County DA says

Landen Glass, 20, of Goode, Virginia, is facing misdemeanor charges of death by motor vehicle, reckless driving to endanger and carrying a firearm at a parade. He also faces infractions of failure to reduce speed and improper brakes.

Glass was behind the wheel of the pickup truck on Nov. 19, which lost control before hitting Brooks. Warrants show improper brakes caused the incident.

Freeman explained the misdemeanor death by a motor vehicle charge, which carries a punishment of 150 days in custody if convicted.

“[What] it requires is the person intent to have committed an underlying traffic offense that leads to [the] death of someone else,” Freeman said.

Glass could also lose his license for one year and face a fine. He has no prior criminal record.

Freeman said the carrying a firearm at a parade charge and the reckless driving to endanger charge each carry punishments of up to 120 days if convicted. The sentences would run concurrently, Freeman said.

"Your cannot bring a firearm to a parade, period," Freeman said.

According to Freeman, the infractions of failure to reduce speed and improper brakes do not carry jail time.

Freeman said there was no evidence Glass was impaired. She said the $4,000 bond amount that Glass posted is standard with no prior record and with the charges he faces.

“Really what the justice system can do under the current law really involving this death is a drop in the bucket when you think about the huge loss here,” Freeman said.

Glass is due to make his first court appearance on Jan. 26, 2023.

11-year-old killed at Raleigh Christmas Parade identified as Hailey Brooks

On Tuesday, WRAL News learned Brooks was the oldest of three siblings.

The director of Carolina Charter Academy said Brooks was a fourth-grade student there last year. It is not clear what school she was attending this year.

"She is not a current student at CCA. However, once a Cardinal always a Cardinal, and we know many of your children may have known Hailey and been impacted by her passing," a letter to parents read.

WRAL News also learned Brooks used to dance at Main Street Studio in Fuquay-Varina. A post shows she loved steak, and her favorite style of dance was clogging.

“So often in these cases, the tragedy, the deep loss, especially at this time of year, for us working on these cases we feel that very much our heart goes out to them,” Freeman said.