Who was Hailey Brooks? Girl, 11, killed after truck driver mowed her down at Raleigh Christmas parade
Trigger Warning: Graphic content. Discretion is advised.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: An eleven-year-old girl was run over by a wayward truck at a Christmas parade in North Carolina on Saturday, November 19. In Raleigh, a pickup truck pulling a float lost control of its brakes and plowed into the dance troupe of Hailey Brooks, killing her instantly. Landen Christopher Glass, 20, the driver of the truck, was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter by motor vehicle, improper equipment, unsafe movement, carelessness and recklessness, and carrying a firearm in a parade.
Shortly after the tragedy, it emerged that Glass had a long history of trucking negligence, including four speeding tickets for failure to stop the GMC Denali, the last of which occurred Oct. 30. Other violations on his record included failing to have marker lights and improper exhaust systems, according to WRAL, but it's not clear if those were related to the pickup truck he was driving during the parade. In addition, he had 2021 penalties on his record for "no inspection, tint violations, improper equipment, and speeding"
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Now we know her name. And now we see her face. And that smile.💔 Hailey Brooks, you were sunshine. Praying for her family.
Posted by WRAL Renee Chou on Monday, November 21, 2022
The victim, Hailey Brooks, was a dancer at CC & Company Dance Complex. The tragedy occurred on Hillsborough Road at Boylan Avenue. According to police, the truck hit the girl at a low speed, the Daily Mail reports. The girl could not be saved despite life-saving measures. Video footage from the scene shows the truck leaving the roadway and accelerating while honking its horn. While some people ran out of the truck's way, others rushed at it to prevent it from colliding with parade participants in front of it. The driver of the white pickup truck carrying the CC & Co. Dance float yelled that he had lost his brakes and could not stop, witnesses told WRAL News. As adults pushed the dancers off the road, the truck crashed into them. Worth Creech, an eyewitness, said, "All of a sudden we looked up and saw a truck on the other side of the road kind of coming towards us. They were able to get most of the girls out of the way. Unfortunately, we saw one of the girls get run over."
Memorials continue to grow as the city of Raleigh mourned Brooks on Monday, November 21. "Hailey', dancing in the arms of Jesus!" was engraved on the memorial along Hillsborough Street near Boylan Avenue close to the scene of the accident. Deena Francia attended the parade on Saturday. She was seated nearby but didn't witness the collision. Francia placed flowers at the monument along Hillsborough Street on Monday. Speaking to WRAL, she said, "I just felt compelled. I was here with my grandchildren and [the girl who died] was 11. My granddaughter is 10."
Ann Rollins, Executive Director of Poe Center for Health Education shared a heartfelt Facebook post and wrote, "Our hearts are saddened by the sudden, accidental death of Hailey Brooks on Saturday at the Raleigh Christmas parade. We mourn with her family and her CC & Company family as they process the unimaginable events of the day. Poe Center for Health Education."
WRAL reports that Glass' social media updates indicate he has been connected to the dancing company since 2018. According to his arrest warrant, Glass admitted to police that he "works on safety systems of cars" despite a history of careless car ownership. Glass was released on bond and has a primary court date on January 26, 2023.
