Democratic hit-and-run driver who fatally plowed into Republican teen after ‘political’ argument is NOT under house arrest or curfew after posting $50k bail
- Shannon Brandt, 41, is temporarily walking free after he fatally plowed his SUV into a Republican teenager after an alleged ‘political’ argument
- Brandt hit Cayler Ellingson, 18, with his car in the early morning of September 18 in McHenry, North Dakota
- The 41-year-old posted a $50,000 bail days later and is free to roam around the state while remaining sober and staying away from the victim’s family
- Brandt will appear at the Foster County courthouse in Carrington at a later date
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The North Dakota Democrat, who fatally hit an 18-year-old Republican with his car, is temporarily walking free without parole after posting $50,000 bail.
Shannon Brandt, 41, is walking free without parole after he admitted to killing Cayler Ellingson with his car on September 18
Shannon Brandt, 41, is a free man after he admitted to plowing Cayler Ellingson, 18, with his SUV on September 18 in the small town of McHenry, North Dakota, after a street party, according to court documents obtained by Fox News.
The filings showed Brandt’s bail terms that prohibit him from leaving the state, drinking alcohol, possessing a firearm, or contacting the Ellingson family.
While Brandt will be periodically tested to confirm his sobriety, he isn’t constrained to his home on house arrest or prohibited from being out past a certain time.
Brandt fled the scene after slamming in Ellingson last week but later returned to call 911 before leaving again to his home nearby where he was arrested.
An affidavit said Brandt told police Ellingson was ‘part of a Republican extremist group’ and had an altercation with the teenager about politics. Brandt further explained he left the scene because the 18-year-old had threatened him.
Police in North Dakota later said there’s ‘no evidence’ showing that politics were involved when a man fatally struck a teenager with his SUV following claims about a ‘political argument.’
Brandt will appear at the Foster County courthouse in Carrington on October 11.
Republican Cayler Ellingson, 18, died after being hit by Brandt following a street party that occurred in the small town of McHenry
The street party occurred on a dirt road off of Johnston Street and Jones Ave (pictured). The party was held on Saturday night but lingered into the early morning of Sunday
North Dakota Highway Patrol Captain Bryan Niewind debunked the claims Brandt and Ellingson got into a political argument when he revealed to Fox News that so far his department’s investigations have ‘uncovered no evidence to support the claim’ the murder was politically motivated.
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‘We have uncovered no evidence to support Mr. Brandt’s claim on the 911 call he made that Cayler Ellingson is a Republican extremist, nor that this incident involved politics,’ Niewind told the outlet.
‘This is a terrible tragedy for the Ellingson family. We continue to investigate what led up to the incident, the crash itself and the claim made by Brandt. But, at this time there has been no evidence to corroborate Brandt’s statement.’
It’s unclear how police came to the conclusion, but it can be in relation to Ellingson’s parents revealing they were acquainted with Brandt. However, the teenager parents, who have not been named, told police they didn’t believe that Cayler had met Brandt before the encounter.
Brandt told police that he hit Ellingson because the teenager was threatening him after a political altercation
Documents show that Brandt was arrested at his home after he admitted to hitting Ellingson while driving under the influence. A breathalyzer test showed his alcohol level was above the legal limit of 0.08
Ellingson’s mom told police he called her to ask if she knew Brandt. The teenager claimed that he was being ‘chased’ by him
The affidavit further reveals that Ellingson’s mother told investigators the teen called her shortly before the incident, which transpired around 2:35 am, to ask if the family knew Brandt.
She said her son called back a short time later to tell her he was being ‘chased’ by Brandt. The mother couldn’t reach her son after that, according to the document.
It’s unclear what Brandt was doing at the small street party on a dirt road off of near Johnston Street and Jones Ave, in the small rural town with a population just over 60.
Neighbors have since told reporters that Brandt was unstable, saying that the 41-year-old has been ‘nuts his whole life’ and ‘should have been in a [mental health] institute.’
Ellingson’s parents didn’t comment on the extent of their relationship with the man, who is currently free as police probe the murder.
Brandt, meanwhile, who also faces charges of leaving the scene of a crash involving death after twice ‘failing to render aid’ to a dying Ellingson after the initial smash and then upon returning to the site to dial cops, is out on the streets on bail.
The family of the 18-year-old held a funeral for him on Monday in Carrington.
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