North Dakota man who ran down ‘Republican’ teen says he doesn’t want his own life, job jeopardized
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gave North Dakota A man accused of hitting a teenage boy with his car after a “political argument” said he did not understand the charges against him during a recent court appearance.
Shannon Brandt, 41, spent He posted his $50,000 bond and was released just days before in the Statesman County Jail on felony charges related to the death of 18-year-old Keller Ellingson, according to county jail records.
He is accused. Vehicular homicide And excluding the accident site.
“I don’t understand the differences,” he told a judge during Monday’s court hearing before being released, according to video footage from a local news outlet.
Brandt objected to the bail amount, saying he was not a flight risk.
Shannon Brandt, 41, has been charged in the vehicular death of a North Dakota teenager in what he claimed was a political argument.
(Foster County Sheriff)
“I have a job and a life and a home and things that I don’t want to see at all — family that’s very important to me,” he said.
Brandt was arrested early Sunday morning after telling first responders that he hit the teenager because the pedestrian was threatening him,” according to a probable cause affidavit provided to Fox News Digital Wednesday morning.
He “stated that the pedestrian called some people and Brandt was afraid they were coming to get him,” the document continues. “Brandt admitted on state radio that he hit the pedestrian and that the pedestrian was part of a Republican extremist group.”
The North Dakota Highway Patrol reported Sunday that a “street dance” was taking place on Jones Street near Honeck Street in McHenry when Brandt hit Ellingson and then fled the scene.
Ellingson was seriously injured and taken to a local hospital where he died. Both Brandt and Ellingson’s families soon arrived at the scene. After the police arrivedcourt records show.
Ellingson’s parents said they know Brandt but don’t believe the teenager did it. His mother described how she was on her way to pick up her son from McHenry when he called her and said “they” or “they” were following him.” could not reach
“Brand admitted to hitting the pedestrian with his car because he had a political dispute with the pedestrian and believed the pedestrian was calling for people to pick him up,” the court document continues. “Brand admitted that he left the scene and returned shortly thereafter where he called 911.”
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A breathalyzer test later showed Brandt’s blood alcohol level was over the legal limit of 0.08.