Parents of Hailey Brooks sue Landen Glass, companies involved in Raleigh Christmas Parade
The parents of Hailey Brooks have filed a civil lawsuit against the driver accused of hitting and killing their daughter in the Raleigh Christmas Parade and parade organizers, claiming her death was "a result of the gross negligence and recklessness of Landen Glass and the organizations and individuals entrusted with ensuring the safety of the parade’s participants."
The lawsuit names Glass, as well as C.C. & Co. Dance Complex, Greater Raleigh Merchants Association (doing business as Shop Local Raleigh) and D&L Floats as defendants.
The law firm of Miller, Monroe and Plyler is representing the family in the suit.
"This action is brought to ensure that those responsible for Hailey’s death are held accountable and to ensure that no other child or person is hurt or killed by the recklessness of those entrusted with and responsible for the safety of the children and attendees at this Raleigh tradition," the lawsuit read.
Hailey Brooks family lawsuit not surprising, settlement likely
For Daniel Meier, an attorney with the Meier Law Group in Durham, the lawsuit was expected.
"It is not surprising. This was always expected whenever someone is killed. You can expect someone to make a claim for damages, that is what they are entitled to," Meier said. "They are trying to get as many people involved in the lawsuit, alleged negligence and wrongful acts as possible. That protects you if one person doesn't have enough insurance to cover the claim."
Brooks' family is seeking $25,000 or more from each claim. The lawsuit outlines four claims of wrongful death, four claims of negligence and gross negligence, one claim of vicarious liability and one claim of vicarious liability and agency.
Meier said the case will likely settle, as insurance companies will get involved and work to settle. Meier added a settlement could likely be reached within the next year.
Lawsuit: Landen Glass knew truck was not safe
The lawsuit alleges Glass knew his modified truck, which was pulling a float behind Brooks and other dancers, would not pass safety inspection in the state of Virginia, claiming that "while the truck had aesthetic appeal to Defendant Glass, the truck lacked a functional braking system, a critical safety feature."
Glass is charged with manslaughter in Brooks' death.
Glass, according to the lawsuit, had never driven in a parade, but "had been cited for more than 20 traffic violations since 2021," including five charges for failure to have his vehicles inspected.
The suit mentions that prosecutors claim Glass mistakenly placed power steering fluid in the brake fluid reservoir of his truck and "failed to ensure that the power steering fluid was properly flushed from the truck’s braking system, and failed to prevent and/or repair damage to the truck’s braking system resulting from the presence of power steering fluid." On April 12, a prosecutor in the criminal case said Glass told Raleigh police the fluid mistake happened six months prior to the parade.
Other modifications to the truck made it less safe, the suit claims, including those which rendered the emergency brake non-functional.
After the parade, Glass admitted he knew his emergency brake would not work, the suit claims. An indicator light on the truck's dashboard would have gone on every time he started the truck and "at the time of the Parade, the emergency brake cable could be seen disconnected and dangling beneath the driver’s side door of the Truck."
Along with Glass, there were two other young men in the cab of the truck. All three were illegally carrying handguns, the suit claims.
Raleigh Christmas Parade lawsuit: Outdated, unsafe trailer, lack of safety plan
In the suit, the Brooks family claims that her dance group, C.C. & Co. Dance Complex, was trying to save money in hiring Glass to drive the truck that pulled a trailer of young dancers. The group, they claim, knew he had limited driving experience and should have known he had a long history of traffic citations.
The trailer, according to the suit:
- had no brakes
- was not legal to operate in the parade
- was not authorized for use on public highways except for farm use
- "was unsafe and unsuitable to be towed behind hundreds of children."
The suit reads, "the Trailer and many of the other trailers utilized in the parade were decades old, unstable, had rotten wood, and improperly inflated tires."
The lawsuit states Brooks was brought to the hospital as a "Jane Doe" and C.C. & Co. was "so disorganized and unprepared from a safety perspective" that the staff could not confirm Brooks' identity after she was struck by the truck and had told her parents she was "safe."
Christy Curtis with C.C. & Co. responded with this statement on Wednesday:
“We’ve only just recently learned of the lawsuit and our legal team will be reviewing the filing. As a longstanding dance institution, we have always prioritized the safety and well-being of our students and we take these allegations very seriously. Our staff remains dedicated to providing a nurturing environment that fosters learning, growth, and a passion for dance.”
Hailey Brooks' family claims Raleigh Christmas Parade lacked adequate safety plan
The family is suing GRMA, D&L Floats and C.C. & Co., alleging each "failed to establish, adopt and enforce an adequate written safety plan that provided for risk mitigation, contingency planning, and communication among event participants in the event of an emergency."
The lawsuits points to:
- a lack of safety checks of trucks or trailers
- no background checks for drivers
- a lack of safety briefings for participants.
Lawmakers want statewide parade safety plans to avoid another tragic death
In the state House on Wednesday, lawmakers will again discuss the Shine Like Hailey Parade Safety Act, which would create a statewide safety standard to prevent deaths and injuries during community celebrations.
It would require that anyone driving a vehicle in a parade be 25 years or old and provide proof of a recent vehicle safety inspection by law enforcement and verification of a valid drivers license and registration.
"Many families think this is part of the process and it's not," bill sponsor Sen. Mary Wills Bode (D-Granville) said. "There is a big gap here."
