'Hailey would pray we all find happiness:' Father speaks after driver in deadly Christmas crash jailed
The man accused of hitting and killing a dancer during the Raleigh Christmas Parade was sent to jail on $250,000 bond Wednesday, months after the death of 11-year-old Hailey Brooks.
Landen Glass was indicted last week on a charge of manslaughter.
In November, Glass was driving a pickup truck that was pulling a float in the Raleigh Christmas Parade when he lost control, leading Brooks' death.
Warrants show improper brakes caused the incident.
Attorney defends Landen Glass' character
Family and friends gathered to support Glass, age 20, as he faced the judge Wednesday morning.
"What happened to Hailey Brooks was an absolute heartbreaking tragedy," Roger Smith, his attorney, said. "We can't imagine the pain and sadness her family and friends are experiencing. Maybe someday I can face the family, and maybe one day Landen can do that."
Smith said Glass is more than sorry – he's deeply distraught.
"Landen is so sorry," Smith said. "He is so distraught for what happened. He is haunted as to what happened. He will be haunted by those events for the rest of his life.
"He tried desperately to avoid what happened that day, [and] did everything he could to stop the truck. He would do anything to bring Hailey back, but he can't."
Smith emphasized Glass's character, saying he has a sister who's the same age as Hailey, and that he spends a lot of his time caring for his grandmother, who has dementia.
"I have a stack of 50 character letters," he said. "Landen doesn't have a criminal record. He doesn't drink alcohol; he doesn't smoke pot or do drugs. He is a former dancer with CC and Dance Company – the float he was pulling. He danced with them for five years."
He said he has letters from dance teachers and dancers that describe Glass as a mentor and big brother.
"He is kind-hearted, compassionate, respectful, a person of great character," Smith said. "But all this doesn’t take away that this was an utter tragedy."
Smith pointed out that Glass' father often volunteered to pull parade floats, driving 150 miles from Virginia to help out. Glass had performed in the same parade for years, and last year was the first year that Glass had pulled a float.
Smith also argued that Glass had no reason to believe his truck would pose a risk in the parade. He said the truck had no prior issues and had hauled long-distance many times.
He said they still don't know why the brakes failed the day of the parade. Glass' friend was also in the truck that day to provide insight into what happened.
"Landen pushed his brake all the way to the floor," Smith said. "Landen pushed the parking brake up, and it locked. He put it in reverse, in park, he tried everything."
Smith said Glass told his friend, "I got no brakes." Then he tried again, pushing the pedal to the floor, but they still didn't work.
Glass did everything he could in that moment to stop the truck, Smith said.
Meanwhile, his friend, who was also in the truck, tried to warn people outside – pushing on an air horn and shouting out the window.
“I am asking you to place a reasonable bond on this young man, he will come back to court as many times as he needs to," said Smith. “There is every indication that this young man will return to court and answer the charges."
Prosecution says Landen Glass was negligent
The prosecutor, Robert Taylor, began by agreeing the case was tragic – but argued it was preventable.
"I disagree with Mr. Smith," Taylor said. "He says Glass did everything he could, and that is wrong – because he didn’t make sure his truck was in working order."
He also pointed out that the brake failure argument had not been proven.
"Mr. Glass' car was looked at top to bottom. There were zero signs of brake failure," he said. "Testing by RPD has not demonstrated any brake failure whatsoever."
He also argued Glass was aware he didn't have a parking brake to help stop the truck in an emergency.
“When the passengers exited Glass' truck, one of the passengers told Raleigh police he didn’t have a a parking brake, and that’s why we believe Glass didn’t do everything he could," he said. "Mr. Glass knew he didn't have a parking brake."
The prosector also pointed out that Glass did his own truck maintenance, but he isn't certified – which is significant due to all the truck modifications.
“He told RPD six months prior he changed his brake fluid, but put in transmission fluid instead and then tried to flush the line," Taylor said.
The prosecutor also called Glass' driving history into question, saying traffic cameras showed Glass ran a red light on his way to the parade.
“Prior to driving in this parade he only had four hours of sleep; this points to more negligence," he said.
Less than a month before the Christmas parade, Glass was stopped while pulling 28 girls behind him and charged with excessive tint, no marking light and no inspection. Then, just two days before, he drove to NC to pull girls in the parade, and he was cited with no inspection.
“He doesn’t care about anything that he has been warned about," he said. "He has complete disregard for complying against safety statutes."
He argued Glass is a danger to the public and requested a $500,000 secured bond – a far cry from the $15,000 to $50,000 range requested by the defense.
Smith spoke in Glass' defense, saying, “I am urging you to not set a half-a-million dollar bond on a Class F felony. His family cannot afford that. That is not in the range, Your Honor."
Judge hands down a $250,000 bond
Judge Keith Gregory handed down a secured bond of $250,000, and Glass will sit in jail until his family can raise the money.
"This court has a responsibility," he said. "The purpose of an inspection is to ensure citizens on the road are safe and are not a danger to me or the public. It would be unconscionable for me not to look at his past inspections," he said.
Gregory said he recognized Glass didn't have a criminal record – but a child lost her life.
“If there had been an inspection and emergency brake, this could have been preventable," said Gregory. “He could have gotten inspections when he was supposed to."
Gregory also said Glass would be tested for illegal substances, and if any were found in his system, the bond would be doubled.
Smith assured the judge his client would not test positive, and pleaded with the judge to only hold him on a $100,000 bond – something Glass' family would be more able to afford. However, Gregory did not budge.
The session ended with Glass being handcuffed and escorted to jail.
Hailey Brooks' parents speak after courtroom session
The parents of 11-year-old Hailey Brooks shared a tearful statement after Glass was taken away.
They began by thanking the Lord for giving them strength and support from loved ones. They thanked their school and church community, as well as the broader Raleigh community.
"We went to the parade as a family of five. We went home that day as a family of four," said her father, tearfully.
He said it was Hailey's first year dancing in the parade, but that they'd gone every year since she was a 1-year-old.
"Her other sisters still ask us why they didn't get to tell her goodbye," he said. "It's forever changed the lives of our family and our friends."
He said Hailey was a testament to God's image, a beautiful light that lit up every room with her smile, kind and caring and loving, brilliant and beautiful.
"She was a free spirit who yearned to be around people," he said. "She loved to read and dance and do art."
"She liked to give praise. She liked to give a big hug. She loved to sit down and have a meaningful conversation to get to know people. She had a knack for coming up and just talking to you when knew you needed it," he added.
He said if Hailey were here today, she'd hate to see the pain and suffering so many have gone through.
The family is starting an organization called Shine Like Hailey to carry on her legacy by doing good in the community in her name. They said they will also work and exhaust all means to make sure safety requirements are put in place at the parade.
"She would pray that we all find happiness," he said. "Through the hope that our Lord and Savior give us."
