Hailey Brooks id as 11yr old girl killed at Raleigh Christmas parade by run away truck driven by Landen Christopher Glass. Driver had previous citations.
A tragedy that could have been averted… An eleven-year-old girl killed by an out of control truck while performing at a North Carolina Christmas parade over the weekend has been identified. Records also indicated the out of control driver having a prior record for failing to properly maintain his vehicle.
Hailey Brooks died after a pickup truck pulling a parade float in Raleigh lost its brakes and began to accelerate into her dance troupe.
Landen Christopher Glass, 20, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, improper equipment, unsafe movement, carelessness and recklessness, and carrying a firearm in a parade.
Shortly after the Saturday incident it was revealed that Glass had a long history of negligence with his truck, including four citations for failing to have the GMC Denali inspected – one as recently as October 30.
Other violations on his record included not having marker lights and having improper exhaust systems, according to WRAL, though it is unclear whether those were attributed with the pickup he was driving at the parade.
Failed brakes
He also had violations on his record dating to 2021 for ‘no inspection, tint violations, improper equipment and speeding.’
Footage from the Raleigh parade showed a crowd of young dancers fleeing as the massive white pickup truck bore down on them.
The truck could be heard blaring its horn in warning, and witnesses said Glass was yelling that his brakes had failed as he tried to navigate through the crowd.
During the chaos Brooks was struck and parade goers attempted to help her.
‘All of a sudden we looked up and saw a truck on the other side of the road kind of coming towards us,’ witness Worth Creech told WRAL.
‘They were able to get most of the girls out of the way. Unfortunately, we saw one of the girls get run over.’
Brooks was taken to a nearby hospital where she was declared dead.
Driver associated with dance company since 2018
Parade goers were seen grabbing onto the truck as they attempted to slow it down. It was eventually stopped.
Witnesses said the truck was on decline when the mechanical failure occurred, and that the weight of the float behind it seemed to exacerbate the situation.
Glass had been pulling the float for the CC & Company Dance Complex that Brooks was performing with.
According to WRAL, posts on Glass’ social media suggest he had been associated with the dance company since 2018.
Despite his record of negligent car ownership, Glass told police he ‘works on safety systems of cars,’ according to his arrest warrant.
Glass was released on Bond and is due in court on January 26.
