The order was made public at 4:24 p.m. At the time of the accident the defendant was a 16-year-old teenager with no prior criminal history, who had smoked or used marijuana and had been diagnosed with marijuana use disorder,' McLauchlin wrote. Auburn police previously ruled out the use of a phone as a contributing factor in the cause of the crash and previously said alcohol was not a factor. After his release, records show, Taylor was cited by Auburn police on Nov. 24 for driving 68 mph in a 45-mph zone on South College Street near the intersection of South Donahue Drive. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. That will allow him to, Photo from Lee Co. Sheriffs Office The teenage driver charged in the fatal wreck that killed The Voice of the Auburn Tigers Rod Bramblett and his wife Paula in May has had his bond revoked. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Johnston Taylor, indicted for manslaughter in Bramblett deaths, jailed A beloved sports announcer at Auburn University and his wife have been killed. Court documents revealed that Johnston Edward Taylor's 2011 Jeep Cherokee Laredo was accelerating from 89 mph to 91 mph, with no signs of any braking, at the time of the crash. He is charged with two counts of manslaughter and was being held at the Lee . and he is not allowed visitors outside of immediate family members. All rights reserved (About Us). Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Bramblett served as The Voice of the Auburn Tigers since 2003 until his death. The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences conducted a toxicology report and confirmed Taylor had marijuana in his system. Court records made public Tuesday provide more detail in what led to the felony charges against the Lee. Investigators. Johnston Taylor, indicted for manslaughter in Bramblett deaths, jailed Thursday on child pornography charges. The Opelika Police Department Narcotics Unit has made 14 arrests within a time span of about three weeks while investigating reports of illega, Auburn Police Departments Narcotics and Investigations Section arrested a Georgia man in connection to a suspected drug overdose death that i. On Jan. 16, 2020, Taylor was indicted by a Lee County grand jury on two counts of manslaughter-recklessin connection with the May 25, 2019 crash that killed the couple. UPDATED: Data indicates teen driver hit Brambletts 89-91 mph in Auburn The Auburn Police Department has arrested Johnston Edward Taylor, 19, on felony warrants charging him with six counts of possession of child pornography. Taylor -- then a 16-year-old Lee Scott Academy student -- was traveling south in the outside lane on Shug Jordan Parkway approaching West Samford Avenue in his Jeep Laredo. Johnston Edward Taylor is a16-year-old Alabama native who is being charged as an adult and facing two counts of manslaughter. An investigation completed on June 28 by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agencys Traffic Homicide Unit determined that Taylor had been traveling between 89-91 miles per hour, well over the posted speed limit of 55 miles per hour. No additional details about the alleged crimes have yet been made public. THC is the primary psychoactive component of marijuana and is indicative of recent usage of marijuana at the time of the collision on May 25, the affidavit reads. Police say Taylor's arrest stems from an investigation by Auburn. The teen was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. None of this justifies what happened; however, it does lend itself to treatment as a Youthful Offender.. At the time of the deadly crash, Taylor was driving 89 mph, under the influence of marijuana, and still accelerating, authorities said, when he rammed into the back of the couples SUV. We trust that in time there can be healing for parties directly affected by this terrible tragedy., Rod Bramblett wreck warrant: Teen was driving 30 mph over speed limit. Bramblett was known by all as the "Voice of the Auburn Tigers". #Auburnhttps://t.co/CdGfhOO5Av, Kevin Scarbinsky (@KevinScarbinsky) 26 de mayo de 2019. Taylor told police that he fell asleep while driving and did not remember what happened, according to the traffic-crash report. The teen's bond was first revoked in December 2019 after got two speeding tickets and one reckless . Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Johnston was not impaired at the time of the accident, Spina said. Taylor was developed as a suspect and, after a search warrant and the collection of evidence, he was arrested and charged. Go Fund Me account for Bramblett children has already surpassed $200,000 https://t.co/XOWboK2oUE. Taylor asked if officers wanted to see it, and we declined, an officer wrote. As far as any relationships or any rumors, of course, Im not going to get into that at all, speculate or make other comments, Captain Lorenza Dorsey said when asked specifically about the drivers possible connection to the police department. At the age of 16, Taylor was the. Taylor was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. That incident happened at 7:20 a.m. and the officer observed the defendant accelerating rapidly, the prosecutor wrote. He smashed into the back right bottom of the SUV, pushing their car into the opposite lanesof traffic. Auburn police announced the arrest of 16-year-old Johnston Edward Taylor. Charged with manslaughter on the same day as the accident, Taylor was driving a Jeep Laredo at a speed of upwards of 90 mph when he struck the Brambletts in the southbound lane of Shug Jordan Parkway at the West Samford Avenue intersection. As a youthful offender, Taylor had his range of punishment reduced to a maximum sentence of three years. Charges were not filed against Taylor until the crash investigation and toxicology tests were completed. Rod Bramblett was known as The Voice of the Auburn Tigers for his work as a sports broadcaster at Auburn since 1993. He spent the entire day on Lake Martin with his girlfriends family, Spina said. THC is the primary psychoactive component of marijuana and is indicative of recent usage of marijuana at the time of the collision on May 25, the affidavit reads, according to the Opelika-Auburn News. The applicant also waives their right to a jury trial for a trial by court, according to Alabama law.. Investigation revealed. Johnston Edward Taylor: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know Absolutely horrible news out of Alabama tonight. Opelika police have arrested an Opelika High School teacher under a charge of soliciting a sex act with a student under the age of 19. Police said the arrest stems from an investigation that began on June 7 and was initiated by the APD and members of the Alabama Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Johnston Edward Taylor, 16, was arrested on July 1 by the Lee County Sheriffs Office for the May 25 accident in which killed the couple. Johnston Edward Taylor, the teenage-driver of the car that killed Rod Bramblett and his wife, Paula, on May 25, 2019 has been sentenced, per AL.com. The Opelika Police Department Narcotics Unit has made 14 arrests within a time span of about three weeks while investigating reports of illega, Auburn Police Departments Narcotics and Investigations Section arrested a Georgia man in connection to a suspected drug overdose death that i. Johnston Edward Taylor - Bio, News, Photos - Washington Times According to reports from WLTZ, Taylor has deep ties to the Auburn community and close connections with law enforcement. Taylor, who is a high school student at Lee-Scott Academy, has been charged as an adult. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). The Jeep struck the Brambletts SUV to the right of center, according to the crash report. Teen Johnston Edward Taylor Charged With Killing Auburn University The Brambletts vehicle was pushed into the intersection and through the opposing lanes of traffic before coming to a final rest on the curb. None of this justifies what happened; however, it does lend itself to treatment as a Youthful Offender.. The judge noted in his order that Taylor had only had his drivers license for three months when the deadly crash happened. On July 1, the Alabama Department of Forensic Science reported that Taylors toxicology results tested positive for marijuana. Lee County District Attorney Pro Tem Jessica Ventiere declined to comment on the case or motion. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Due to Taylor being granted youthful offender status, the terms of his sentence are not being released. Johnston Edward Taylor, of Auburn, was arrested on warrants Monday charging him with two counts of manslaughter, Auburn police said Monday afternoon in a news release. While Taylor received youthful offender status after being indicted by a grand jury on manslaughter charges after the Bramblett deaths, Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said that now that Taylor is 19, its likely he will be charged as an adult. Taylor was taken to Lee County Jail where bond was set at $50,000. 0:00 5:34 AUBURN Johnston Edward Taylor, the teen charged in the 2019 crash that killed Auburn radio broadcaster Rod Bramblett and his wife, Paula, was admitted to Lee County Jail on. Taylors drivers license will remain in the possession of Spina, and the teen is not allowed to drive. Bond reinstated for teen charged in crash that killed Rod, Paula - WSFA Now a teen is being chraged for the crime. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Johnston Edward Taylor is a 16-year-old who was charged with the killings of Rod Bramblett and Paula Bramblett. Paula and Rod Bramblett's deaths are tragic but not a crime, lawyer Man charged in death of 'Voice of Auburn Tigers' announcer, wife facing It was confirmed that the Brambletts were both wearing seatbelts. During his years as an announcer, Bramblett won many awards. Taylor was driving southbound in the outside laneof Shug Jordan Parkway, headed toward West Samford Avenue minutes before the crash happened. The officer told Taylor he smelled marijuana and Taylor told them he had not smoked marijuana since May. He also passed all drug except recently in March 2021 when he tested positive for alcohol. The report from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agencys Traffic Homicide Unit indicated that Taylors vehicle was doing 89-91 mph and that he did not brake before the crash, according to the affidavit. Johnston Taylor, 19, is behind bars as of Thursday night at the Lee County Detention Center. McLauchlin, a retired Dale County Judge appointed to Taylors case by the Alabama Supreme Court after numerous Lee County judges recused themselves from presiding over the case, documents show. Teen charged with manslaughter in crash that killed Rod, Paula - WSFA McLauchlin, a circuit judge, said. She was pronounced dead in the emergency room from multiple internal injuries. The order granting Taylor youthful offender status was signed by Judge P.B. The impact caused the Jeep to hit a pedestrian and a traffic light pole before coming to a final rest. OMG so heartbreaking to read about this tragic car accident that took the lives of Paula & Rod Bramblett the legendary voice for years of @AuburnTigers Prayers go out to his family & friends plus for others that were injured . He was held on a $50,000 bond but has since been released. Opelika police have arrested an Opelika High School teacher under a charge of soliciting a sex act with a student under the age of 19. Paula Bramblett, 53, was airlifted from the scene but had to be diverted to East Alabama Medical Center due to the severity of her injuries. Police this week announced that 16-year-old Johnston Edward Taylor, a Lee Scott Academy high school student, was charged with two counts of manslaughter in the May 25 deaths. The posted speed limit for the section of Shug Jordan Parkway where the crash occurred is 55 mph. He is still facing another possible bond revocation. Taylor -- then a 16-year-old Lee Scott Academy student -- was traveling south in the outside lane on Shug Jordan Parkway approaching West Samford Avenue in his Jeep Laredo. Update: Motion filed to revoke bond of teen charged in connection to {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Submitted by the Lee County Sheriffs Office, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Buc-ee's takes one more step toward its April opening date along I-85 in Auburn, Auburns Putt for a Car winner picks up new ride, The Graduate Auburn Hotel slotted to open in 2024 with 177 keys and rooftop bar, 'Worse ways to start': Auburn's big-swinging Justin Kirby has five hits and five home runs, Inmate dies while in custody at Lee County Detention Center, Big profits, big bills: Alabamians pay some of the nations highest electricity costs, Auburn AD Cohen: First female statue being addressed, KFC is bringing back a fan favorite after a nearly 10-year hiatus, New bar, The Saloon, opens in former Tacorita location in downtown Auburn, Chick-fil-A in Tiger Town is closed for remodeling, His leadership truly infused life back into this community: Cadillac Williams receives Auburn Chamber of Commerce Spirit of Auburn Award, Road family meets hometown family: Opelikas Addison Garner performs in Gogue Center with Broadways Hairspray, Auburn gymnastics meet at Kentucky postponed to Saturday, Opelika police search for suspects said to have stolen a wallet from a victim in Hobby Lobby, In three weeks, Opelika police arrested 14 people during drug investigations that involved fentanyl, Auburn police arrest Georgia man in connection to a suspected drug overdose death, Police investigation leads to arrest of Opelika High School teacher under charge of soliciting sex, One suspect arrested in connection to Best Buy theft that occurred in December, Moscow reportedly threatened new parents in Ukraine: Register your newborns as Russian or else, The impact of climate change will be felt worse in these three U.S. cities, Scientists reveal hidden corridor in Great Pyramid of Giza, Greece train crash: Public anger grows as death toll rises. If Taylor waives the hearing, it would go straight to grand jury. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. While the Brambletts were stopped at a red light, Taylor rear-ended their Toyota Highlander with his Jeep. A GoFundMe page was created to help the couples two children, Shelby, and Joshua, move forward with lifes expenses. Shelby, 20, is a sophomore at Auburn University and Joshua, 15, will be entering the tenth grade at Auburn High School in the fall. Rod Bramblett was loved by all of Auburn University. The judge granted the DA's motion and ordered 16-year-old Johnston Edward Taylor to be arrested during a hearing Wednesday. Paula Bramblett was also employed by the university in the IT department. The teen was observed driving 62 mph in a 35-mph zone on Annaleu Drive near Burke Place. Thats according to court records that have just been made public. Update: Motion filed to revoke bond of teen charged in connection to fatal Bramblett crash. Taylor filed a youthful offender status application in July 2020 and had his hearing on the application Tuesday, according to court records. Johnston Edward Taylor, 16, was charged on July 1 with two counts of manslaughter, causing the deaths of famed Auburn University announcer Rod Bramblett and wife Paula. He also waived his right to a jury trial for a trial by court, according to Alabama law. Teenager charged with manslaughter. McLauchlin, a retired judge handling the case, in his order said, At the time of the accident the defendant was a 16-year-old teenager with no prior criminal history, who had smoked or used marijuana and had been diagnosed with marijuana use disorder, McLauchlin wrote. A judge in April of 2021 granted Taylor youthful offender status in the manslaughter cases. The Brambletts, in a 2017 Toyota Highlander, were stopped in the southbound outside lane of Shug Jordan parkway at a traffic light. The youthful offender status will eliminate a jury trial, if there is a trial, and the range of punishment goes from two to 20 years had he been tried as an adult to zero to three years maximum. See additional information. Charges against Johnston Edward Taylor, 16, were announced by Auburn police Monday. Taylor told officers that he had hit a cat with the vehicle and it was nasty and he was trying to get it out from the undercarriage. The teen was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. "The driver appeared nervous because his hand was shaking,'' an officer wrote. Under the conditions, Taylor must remain on 24/7 lockdown as his mothers home and must wear an ankle monitor. Please consult your doctor before taking any action. BREAKING: Auburn man charged in deadly Bramblett crash arrested - WRBL Auburn play-by-play announcer Rob Bramblett and his wife were involved in a tragic accident today. Authorities reported that reckless driving and speeding both contributed to the Bramblett crash. Paula Bramblett, 53, was airlifted from the scene but had to be diverted to East Alabama Medical Center due to the severity of her injuries. A youthful offender in the state of Alabama is classified as a person under the age of 21. Manslaughter is the correct charge and if convicted he needs to do the time and have a Permanent adult record. Jeff Tommie Sartain posted. Updated: Apr. The defense described the motion to revoke Taylors bond as a last minute hail Mary to try to put the defendant in jail and prejudice the court in its Y.O. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The Jeep struck the Brambletts SUV to the right of center, according to the crash report. According to an order issued by Circuit Judge Jacob Walker III, attorney Tommy Spina and Lee County District Attorney Brandon Hughes agreed on terms of Taylors release. Johnston Edward Taylor, 16, of Auburn, was arrested at his home Monday on manslaughter charges, then taken to the Lee County Jail where bond was set at $50,000. Updated: Jul 1, 2019 5:37 PM CDT. Johnston Taylor Taylor, 17, was charged as an adult with two counts of manslaughter-reckless in connection with the May 25, 2019, car crash that killed Rod and Paula Bramblett. They were both airlifted to UAB. The defendant says when he last looked at the speedometer, he was going 60 to 65 mph,' the judge wrote. He was arrested by police on Thursday. Rod Bramblett was airlifted to UAB Birmingham, where he later died from severe head injuries. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Court records indicate that he was taken to the rehab facility before Christmas 2019. Teen charged in crash that killed Rod and Paula Bramblett granted youthful offender status, Auburn has lost its voice, but memories of Rod Bramblett will never be forgotten, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. None of this justifies what happened; however, it does lend itself to treatment as a Youthful Offender.. If Taylor makes bond, Jones said, the next step would be a preliminary hearing, which the defendant has the choice to waive or not. The affidavit in the case released Tuesday states the report from ALEAs Traffic Homicide Unit data states that Taylors Jeep Laredo was accelerating from a speed of 89 mph to 91 mph in a 55-mph zone when the crash happened. Due to the confidential status of youthful offender proceedings, his attorney, Tommy Spina, declined to comment on the ruling. However, Alabama law says once a person reaches the age of 18 theyre considered an adult in regard to criminal prosecution.. Auburn Teen Charged with Manslaughter in Deaths of Rod, Paula - FanBuzz "Comes now the defendant, Johnston Edward Taylor, and files this his Motion to Withdraw the request for a Preliminary Hearing in these premises. Dorsey said the case would be investigated and handled like any other case. Opelika police began investigating a theft of property, second degree, which allegedly occurred at Best Buy located at 2147 Tiger Town Parkway. A private burial service for the Bramblett family followed the memorial. At the time of the deadly crash, Taylor was driving 89 mph in a 55-mph zone, under the influence of marijuana, and still accelerating, authorities said, when he rammed into the back of the couples SUV. He has to live with this the rest of his life mentally and instead of therapy you are throwing A KID in prison for manslaughter. Taylor was transported to the Lee County Jail and held on a $60,000 bond. The youthful offender status eliminates a jury trial, if there is a trial, and the range of punishment goes from two to 20 years had he been tried as an adult to zero to three years maximum. Taylors defense attorneys objected to the motion to revoke bond and said the positive results for alcohol were due to allergy medication the defendant had taken, including Nite Time, ZzzQuick and Allergy Relief, because of high pollen levels and an inability to sleep due to the PTSD caused by the accident and his depression because of the effect he had had only [sic] the family of the deceased, the objection reads. Taylor was taken into custody and booked into the Lee County Jail. Taylor was traveling southbound in the outside lane on Shug Jordan Parkway approaching West Samford Avenue in his Jeep Laredo. Taylors case will be in the Lee County system and would go to the district court for a preliminary hearing. Rod Bramblett was known as the Voice of the Auburn Tigers. He served as the lead play-by-play announcer for the mens football, basketball and baseball teams. Johnston Edward Taylor, the teenage-driver of the car that killed Rod Bramblett and his wife, Paula, on May 25, 2019 has been sentenced, per AL.com. May Paula & Rod RIP https://t.co/3Q1NyfigMI, Dick Vitale (@DickieV) 26 de mayo de 2019. Lee County Circuit Judge P.B. The Brambletts vehicle was pushed into the intersection and through the opposing lanes of traffic before coming to a final rest on the curb. Johnston Edward Taylor (Source: Lee County Sheriff's Office) By WSFA 12 News Staff. Youth offender cases are sealed, so the outcome of that case is not made public. She was pronounced dead in the emergency room from multiple internal injuries. Teen charged in deaths of Rod, Paula Bramblett back in jail He alleged that was due to him taking allergy medicine which contained alcohol.. https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/2021/04/28/johnston-edward-taylor-driver-car-killed-rod-paula-bramblett-sentenced/, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. All rights reserved (About Us). (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). The impact caused the Jeep to hit a pedestrian crossing signal and a traffic light pole before coming to a final rest. Heand his wife were both graduates of Auburn University, so it was a special place to them that was dear to their hearts. Auburn Police say theyve arrested and charged 16-year-old Johnston Edward Taylor with two counts of manslaughter for the May 25th crash on Shug Jordan Parkway at West Samford Avenue.