Rod and Paula Bramblett Killed in Car Accident

[WFE12 8,222]

 

[AidiAU 1,267]

I still have that “gut punched” feeling about this situation, especially for their kiddos. However, it is so special that they (the kids) have so many ways to hear their dad’s voice. Still heartbreaking. 

[Linayus 676]

13 hours ago, WFE12 said:

 

Ugh.. should not have seen this at work when I have a meeting to go to. 

[AURaptor 1,113]

17 hours ago, autigeremt said:

I love Bruce Pearl. Just love that guy. He’s unreal. 

I get the sense he nearly lost it while giving his comments,  but credit to Coach Pearl for keeping it together.  Very spot on about Rod too,  he did so much and made it look easy.  Such a rare mix and a true Auburn man. Such a loss. Helps to have folks like Coach Pearl around to rally around and put things into perspective. 

[doc4aday 1,887]

On 5/27/2019 at 4:39 PM, tiger88 said:

We had to watch all the bloody, gory driver's ed films when I was in school and it made little in any difference in how we drove. No gore movie is going to stop kids from using cell phones and driving for the most part. I'm not saying don't try, it might influence a few kids. 

 What we need is a cell phone nanny type app that disables texting and internet features when the unit is moving more than a certain speed as detected by the gps feature of the unit. There would need to be a way to disable it if you aren't the driver,  if possible.

I do feel for the kid responsible, most of us could have had a similar incident at some point in our life, but got lucky. That time you drove off the edge of the road while distracted, but fortunately there was no one there to hit. That time you nodded off while driving at 4am but came right back to your senses before anything bad happened. I personally drove drunk once in my life and am so fortunate nothing happened. I was out of it! I had a strict policy never to drink and drive, but there was no one else to drive and I made a very intoxicated decision that someone had to drive.  

 

I do not drive due to medications I have to take and willfully gave up my license in 2007. Being a passenger all of the time, I pay close attention to our surroundings and point things out to my wife so she can stay clear of the dangers I detect. My father was a 37 year career Army Command Sergeant Major. He taught me how to drive and was strict as they come. I have been fortunate to never have a car accident during my years of driving. My wife and I believe in driving the speed limit or less when we are the road.

One time when I was 17 years old, I got a speeding ticket for going 40 in a 35 MPH zone. My father took the keys away for a month and told me if I got another ticket while I was living under his roof, I would never drive a car again until I was on my own.  As a teenager, I hated this but knew in the back of my mind that my dad was right based how he raised me.  I was not a  perfect kid in any stretch of the imagination, but had a good father and mother who taught me right from wrong.

I love the idea of the cell phone nanny and think this would be a great help.

Please read the paragraph below with statistics from the National Safety Council with car accidents due to cell phone usage:

 General Cell Phone Statistics. The National Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year. Nearly 390,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving. 1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving.

This should be enough to get anyone's attention.

[dking 12]

The memorial service will be streamed live on AuburnTigers.com

[WFE12 8,222]

 

[auburnphan 5,943]

For those unable to attend the funeral of “The Voice of The Auburn Tigers” @VoiceofAUTigers and wife Paula’s funeral will be streamed online by @wsfa12news. Source: @JahmalKennedy. Funeral begins at 2pm.

[ellitor 26,918]

 

Quote

 

Teen told police he fell asleep before wreck that killed Rod & Paula Bramblett

Updated 3:40 PM; Today 3:25 PM

By Carol Robinson | crobinson@al.com

The teen driver in the crash that killed Auburn broadcaster Rod Bramblett and his wife, Paula, told authorities he fell asleep at the wheel and did not remember what happened.

The deadly crash happened May 25, on Shug Jordan Parkway at the intersection of West Samford Avenue. AL.com on Thursday, through a public records request, obtained a copy of the police report.

It was just after 6 p.m. that Saturday evening. The 16-year-old driver – a Lee Scott Academy student – was traveling southbound in the outside lane on Shug Jordan Parkway approaching West Samford Avenue in his Jeep Laredo.

The Brambletts, in a 2017 Toyota Highlander, were stopped in the southbound outside lane of Shug Jordan parkway at a traffic light. The Jeep struck the Bramblett’s SUV to the right of center, according to the crash report. The impact caused the Jeep to hit a pedestrian crossing signal and a traffic light police before coming to a final rest.

The Bramblett’s vehicle was pushed into the intersection and through the opposing lanes of traffic before coming to a final rest on the curb.

‘So long’: Auburn says farewell to Paula and Rod Bramblett at fitting memorial service

Auburn said goodbye to Rod Bramblett, the Voice of the Tigers, and his wife Paula on Thursday during a memorial service at Auburn Arena.

The teen was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

The report states it is unknown how fast the teen was driving. Efforts to reach Auburn police and the Lee County district attorney’s office were not immediately successful.

Paula Bramblett, 53, was airlifted from the scene but had to be diverted to East Alabama Medical Center due to the severity of her injuries. She was pronounced dead in the emergency room from multiple internal injuries.

Rod Bramblett, 52 and the driver of the Highlander, was airlifted to UAB Hospital in Birmingham, where he later died from a closed head injury.

Auburn police have ruled out the use of a phone as a contributing factor in the cause of the crash and previously said alcohol was not a factor. The information in the released report notes that it does not yet include data extracted from the vehicles and toxicology reports.

 

 

[wde21 344]

I do not see how he could have fallen asleep driving in town at 6 pm. The interstate maybe. Something does not add up with this story...

[ellitor 26,918]

2 minutes ago, wde21 said:

I do not see how he could have fallen asleep driving in town at 6 pm. The interstate maybe. Something does not add up with this story...

Not hard to do at all no matter what time of day. According to Montgomery Sports 740 host Russell Terry, he knows the kid's family & said the kid wore himself celebrating the holiday weekend & tried to drive home tired instead of taking a nap 1st.

[aujeff11 6,243]

32 minutes ago, ellitor said:

Not hard to do at all no matter what time of day. According to Montgomery Sports 740 host Russell Terry, he knows the kid's family & said the kid wore himself celebrating the holiday weekend & tried to drive home tired instead of taking a nap 1st.

How long was his drive? I used to work at the Mercedes plant( got acquainted with Marquis Maze and couple other former Bama players) and got off around 2am and still had to drive over an hour before I could sleep. You either HAVE TO stop and take a nap, go inside a gas station and browse, blast the AC so you’re not comfortable, or put a dip in....Driving asleep is no better than driving drunk even though it’s understandable.

[3rdgeneration 5,090]

Teenagers are known for staying up all night playing video games and such, so I can see how this would happen. Kids don't always contemplate what COULD happen from their choices. I feel incredibly sorry for this kid, in that he has to live with this for the rest of his life. We all want to know why something like this happens, but sometimes, it is just a tragic, awful accident. I hope he can learn to forgive himself, and find a way to make something good out of his life. I continue to pray for all involved.

[ellitor 26,918]

1 hour ago, aujeff11 said:

You either HAVE TO stop and take a nap, go inside a gas station and browse, blast the AC so you’re not comfortable, or put a dip in....Driving asleep is no better than driving drunk even though it’s understandable.

Agree 1 million %.

[countoff 331]

Does anyone know what kind of support system has taken over for the kids?  Aunt/Uncle/Grandparents taking them in?  Will they get to stay in Auburn?

I think I read that one of there kids is already considered an adult and is in college.  But still...someone has to be there.

I can't wrap my head around how tragic this is.  I plan to have a family wide discussion about what happens to all the kids in various "what if scenarios".  I think I may also need to check on my life insurance situation.

[gr82be 11,709]

45 minutes ago, countoff said:

Does anyone know what kind of support system has taken over for the kids?  Aunt/Uncle/Grandparents taking them in?  Will they get to stay in Auburn?

I think I read that one of there kids is already considered an adult and is in college.  But still...someone has to be there.

I can't wrap my head around how tragic this is.  I plan to have a family wide discussion about what happens to all the kids in various "what if scenarios".  I think I may also need to check on my life insurance situation.

One of the most thoughtful things a parent can do is preplan and prepay for their funeral arrangements. It's hard to think about when you are a younger parent but it needs to be considered. My parents did this early on and ended up living a long life, my mom is still living. When my dad passed the funeral stress was alleviated because of his diligence. 

[ChltteTiger 649]

So is the kid really related to someone at J&M Bookstore as a commenter states on another site or is that hooey?

[Win4AU 3,283]

17 hours ago, ChltteTiger said:

So is the kid really related to someone at J&M Bookstore as a commenter states on another site or is that hooey?

I heard something similar last night from a buddy that lives down there.  I don’t know about J&M but did hear it was somebody who has some pull down there.  I don’t want to get into rumors cause I have no idea but something has felt off about this wreck since details started coming out.  Maybe it’s just because it involves such a big part of the Auburn experience that I feel this way.  Just sad all around.  I’m sure if there’s something to it more details will surface.

[ChltteTiger 649]

I have not heard in any of the reports about any witnesses to the accident. Assume there were not any.

[beaumak 174]

No charges of sort have been filed, correct? Not saying there should either way but I figure the family of the teen probably has a lawyer to help consult, right?

And if there is a lawyer would it be Joe Dean? Just asking? 

[Auburn Kev 1,653]

 

[SCTiger2011 1,237]

6 minutes ago, Auburn Kev said:

 

This has unfortunately been the rumor floating around Auburn since shortly after the accident.  Sad to see it confirmed

[SCTiger2011 1,237]

BREAKING: Auburn PD charges 16 yo Johnston Edward Taylor with 2 cts of manslaughter in the crash that killed Rod & Paula Bramblett. Evidence suggests Taylor was driving "at an excessive rate of speed" and tested positive for marijuana. Taylor's bail is set at $50k @wsfa12news

— Jenn Horton (@JennWSFA) July 1, 2019

[DAG 28,332]

4 minutes ago, SCTiger2011 said:

Oh man. How is this only man slaughter though? From my lawyer friends out there. Either way, how sad and tragic. 

[SCTiger2011 1,237]

4 minutes ago, DAG said:

Oh man. How is this only man slaughter though? From my lawyer friends out there. Either way, how sad and tragic. 

https://www.drivinglaws.org/resources/alabamas-vehicular-homicide-and-manslaughter-laws-and-penaltie

"Manslaughter. A motorist who kills another person while driving “recklessly” can be charged with manslaughter. A person acts with recklessness by knowingly doing or failing to do something that creates a substantial and unjustifiable risk to others. The risk must be of such nature and degree that the failure to perceive it constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would use in like circumstances.

So the difference between negligence and recklessness—and therefore between negligent homicide and manslaughter—is whether the defendant was aware of the risk created by the conduct. Generally, a person who was aware of but disregarded the risk is guilty of manslaughter, whereas a person without such awareness is guilty of negligent homicide."

I got my law degree at the university of Google, so hopefully the experts have more to add