Youthful Offender Status granted to teen accused in death of Auburn announcer Rod Bramblett and wife
Updated: 6:46 AM CDT Apr 14, 2021
By Jennifer Fortier
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Updated: 6:46 AM CDT Apr 14, 2021
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PREVIOUS CHARGE THAT WAS REVOKED AFTER THE STREET RACIN INCIDENT. A JUDGE HAS GRANTED YOUTH STATUS -- JOHNSTON TAYLOR WAS 16 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF THE HIGH-SPEED CRASH. TAYLOR ONLY HAD HIS LICENSE FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS PRIOR
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Updated: 6:46 AM CDT Apr 14, 2021
By Jennifer Fortier
A judge has granted youthful offender status to the teenager who was charged with two counts of reckless manslaughter after a crash that killed Rod and Paula Bramblett in 2019.Johnston Taylor was indicted by a grand jury in January of 2020 on manslaughter charges in connection with a crash over Memorial Day weekend, Saturday, May 25, 2019 on Shug Jordan Parkway near West Samford Avenue that killed the Voice of the Auburn Tigers, Rod Bramblett, and his wife Paula. According to court records, the Brambletts were killed after Johnston Taylor's vehicle hit their SUV from behind while they were sitting at a red light. Data analysis of Taylor's vehicle showed that he was traveling at approximately 91 mph at the time of impact. According to the Lee County Coroner's Office, Paula Bramblett, 52, died from multiple internal injuries shortly after arriving at East Alabama Medical Center. Rod Bramblett, 53, was airlifted to UAB Hospital in Birmingham where he died from a severe closed head injury. Auburn PD: 16-year-old charged in crash that killed Rod Bramblett and his wifeCircuit Judge P.B. McLauchlin noted in the decision that the defendant was 16 at the time of the May 25, 2019 crash, and that he'd only had a drivers license for three months.The judge also noted that Taylor underwent drug rehab treatment later in 2019 after his bond was revoked for an arrest on charges of speeding and reckless driving but that he'd passed all subsequent drug screens except for one in March.Taylor will be back in court for an arraignment and plea on April 28.You can read about Youthful Offender Status in Alabama HERE