A Glenfield (ND) man has been sentenced to five years in prison for running down another man with his car following a street dance in McHenry nearly a year ago.
Forty-two-year-old Shannon Brandt had pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of 18-year-old Cayler Ellingson of Grace City.
Southeast District Judge Bradley Cruff sentenced Brandt during a more than two-hour hearing in Carrington.
Cruff repeatedly referenced a psychological report which in large part attributed Brandt’s autism diagnosis for his actions on the night of the incident.
Cruff said: “You didn’t intentionally run (Ellingson) over. I acknowledge that. I understand what the experts in this case are saying about how your mind works. And you didn’t intentionally kill Cayler, but he did die and, again, that’s a result of your alcohol consumption. You recklessly pushed Cayler to the ground with your SUV, you recklessly ran him over and you recklessly killed him.”
Foster County State’s Attorney Kara Brinster had asked for a five-year sentence.
Brandt’s attorney, Mark Friese, argued for a sentence of 18 months with credit for nearly a year already spent on house arrest.
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(KNOX / KFGO)