Driver, 16, arrested in Auburn announcer’s dying
Police on Monday arrested the 16-year-old driver of a automobile that was concerned in a deadly wreck that killed longtime Auburn radio announcer Rod Bramblett and his spouse on Might 25.
The Auburn Police Division mentioned in an announcement that Johnston Edward Taylor of Auburn was arrested at his house on Monday. He’s charged with two counts of manslaughter and was being held on the Lee County Jail on $50,000 bond.
Bramblett, 53, and his spouse, Paula, 52, died from accidents sustained within the automobile wreck on Shug Jordan Parkway round 7 p.m. ET on Might 25. Police beforehand mentioned the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee that Taylor was driving struck the rear of the 2017 Toyota Highlander the Brambletts had been in.
The assertion from Auburn Police on Monday mentioned a report from the Alabama Regulation Enforcement Company’s Site visitors Murder Unit confirmed that Taylor’s automobile was “touring at an extreme charge of pace, properly over the posted 55 mph pace restrict, when the crash occurred.”
The assertion mentioned a toxicology evaluation from the Alabama Division of Forensic Sciences confirmed “the presence of marijuana in Taylor’s system.”
Rod Bramblett was airlifted to UAB Hospital in Birmingham, the place he died of a extreme closed head harm, the coroner’s workplace mentioned. Paula Bramblett died of a number of inside accidents within the emergency room of East Alabama Medical Heart.
Bramblett served because the lead announcer for Auburn soccer, males’s basketball and baseball. In line with the varsity’s athletic web site, he had been the voice of the baseball group since 1993, and he took over play-by-play duties for soccer and basketball in 2003.
“I am heartbroken by the lack of Rod Bramblett and his spouse Paula. Rod was a real skilled and was all the time a pleasure to work with,” Auburn soccer coach Gus Malzahn mentioned in an announcement in late Might. “He beloved Auburn and it confirmed in his work. As a lot as he beloved Auburn, his household got here firstly. This can be a troublesome time and we are going to proceed to hope and supply our help to the Bramblett household, particularly their youngsters Shelby and Joshua.”
Bramblett was a three-time winner of the Alabama State Broadcaster of the Yr award (2006, 2010, 2013). He was honored because the Nationwide Broadcaster of the Yr by Sports activities Illustrated in 2013, partially for his name on Chris Davis’ game-winning, 109-yard return of a missed subject aim as time expired to beat Alabama within the Iron Bowl, which is just often known as “Kick-Six” by Tigers followers.