Police charge 16-year-old in death of Auburn announcer Rod Bramblett
Auburn radio announcer Rod Bramblett died in a car accident alongside his wife Paula on May 25 when police say a 16-year-old driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee rear-ended their SUV.
Rod, 53, died from a head injury after being airlifted from the scene. Paula, 52, was pronounced dead in an emergency room from internal injuries.
Teenager charged with manslaughter
On Monday, Auburn police announced that they had arrested 16-year-old Johnston Edward Taylor on two counts of manslaughter in the incident and that he was being held on $50,000 bond.
He is charged as an adult and has since been released on bond, according to the Opelika-Auburn News.
Police say that Taylor was speeding during the crash and that he tested positive for marijuana.
‘Excessive rate of speed ... presence of marijuana’
Police released a statement sharing a report from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Traffic Homicide Unit “confirming Taylor’s vehicle was traveling at an excessive rate of speed, well over the posted 55 mph speed limit, when the crash occurred.”
Police also said that the Alabama Department of Forensic Science returned test results Monday that confirmed “the presence of marijuana in Taylor’s system.”
Taylor told police he fell asleep while driving and didn’t remember what happened on the night of the accident, according to records obtained by the News.
Bramblett beloved at Auburn
Bramblett was a beloved broadcaster perhaps best known for his call of the “Kick Six” from Auburn’s 2013 Iron Bowl victory over Alabama.
An Auburn graduate, he started as the voice of the baseball team in 1993 and was the lead radio voice for Tigers football and basketball games since 2003. Sports Illustrated named him National Broadcaster of the Year in 2013 for his call of Chris Davis’ game-winning touchdown in the “Kick Six” game.
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