Carmesia Flannigan Birmingham Alabama woman arrested breaking bond conditions following death of motorist, Brandy Ballard after posting video accusing the victim for the crash.
A Birmingham, Alabama woman who had been on the run following a street racing crash that killed an innocent motorist was arrested Wednesday morning in Atlanta on a bond revocation charge.
Carmesia Flannigan, 22, had been sought by U.S. Marshals and Birmingham police for two weeks after breaking the terms of her bond release upon posting videos blaming the victim for the road crash a day after making bond following her arrest.
Her victim, 52-year-old home healthcare worker and grandmother of five, Brandy Ballard had just left home on her way to work at 6:10 a.m. on March 21 when, according to Birmingham police, Flannigan driving a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro crossed the center line at a high rate of speed, hitting Ballard’s 2007 Ford Focus vehicle head on. Ballard was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police and coroner’s officials said investigators believe the Camaro was racing another vehicle at the time of the deadly crash.
Flannigan was arrested and charged with murder, leaving the scene of an accident with injury and unlawful possession of a controlled substance. She was released the following day after posting $175,000 bond and promptly recorded her videos.
Flannigan initially posted two separate Facebook Live videos laced with expletives blaming Ballard for the crash. ‘That old ass lady swerved in my lane,’ Flannigan said on the video.
The videos were deleted from Facebook but were posted to YouTube (see below) where one video had to date received over 200K views.
‘I was so mad I cried,’ said Tabatha Moore, Ballard’s niece, after viewing the videos according to AL. “It’s very frustrating. It’s humiliating.”
‘There’s no remorse,’ Moore said. ‘There’s no heart involved. I want it stopped.’
Prior charges
Jefferson County prosecutors on March 24 filed to have Flannigan’s bond revoked, and District Judge Katrina Ross granted that request, issuing a warrant for her arrest and ordered she be held without bond. A March 31 hearing had been set for the bond revocation.
Flannigan soon took off, remaining at large until Wednesday morning’s arrest.
Of note, Flannigan was already awaiting trial on a first-degree domestic violence charge from earlier this year and a burglary charge from last year.
In the domestic violence case, court records show, Flannigan is accused of firing a gun into an occupied dwelling on Jan. 3, wounding a woman in the foot. Charging documents describe the victim as a ‘current or former parent.’ She was arrested Jan. 8 and released the same day on $15,000 bond.
In March of 2020, authorities contend, Flannigan, while armed with a gun, broke into a home armed with intent to commit a theft. She was released from jail on $25,000 bond in that incident. In December, the burglary case was forwarded to be heard by a grand jury for indictment consideration.
