Death of child dancer mars history & celebration of Raleigh's annual Christmas parade
For more than 75 years, the Raleigh Christmas Parade has been an annual holiday tradition highlighting Raleigh's community and creative spirit. Thousands gather along the parade route through downtown, waiting to see their favorite local marching bands, drum lines, dancers and hand-crafted floats.
In 2022, the annual celebration was marred by an unexpected tragedy when an out-of-control pickup truck plowed into a dance troupe of young girls, killing 11-year-old Hailey Brooks.
For those watching from along the sidewalk or from home, the sudden end to a much-anticipated kickoff of the holiday season and subsequent news of Hailey's death turned a bright day to darkness.
Witnesses who were near the scene recall seeing a pick-up truck, driven by 20-year-old Landen Christopher Glass, begin gaining speed as its brakes failed and it rolled downhill towards children performing with CC & Company Dance Complex. Video from bystanders shows the truck blaring its horn, while adults in the crowd race towards the out-of-control truck, trying to stop it from running into those on foot ahead of it. Some parents rushed in and pulled children out of the truck's path.
In the chaotic and confusing aftermath, girls from the dance company cried and hugged family members while emergency personnel responded to the intersection of Hillsborough Street and Boylan Avenue.
A woman who witnessed the incident spoke with WRAL News, describing the scene:
"The girls kept dancing, and then very quickly parted as the truck moved through them. There were more dancers beyond this group. We were all, I think, wondering if it was part of the parade. Perhaps [the truck] picked up a little bit of speed and it kept honking, and then there was quite a bit more chaos. Everyone started to look confused. I do not know, perhaps the fire engine and other first responders helped stop the truck. I am not clear whether or not someone was hit on the ground."
Christine Barnes, who also watched the scene unfold, said, "[The driver] just couldn't stop. He was laying on the horn, but the girls just couldn't hear it because of the music and dancing, and so adults were trying to get kids out of the way as fast as possible."
Around 10:15 a.m., the parade was paused. It would later be canceled.
Driver Landen Glass faces charges
Glass, the truck driver, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, careless and reckless, improper equipment, unsafe movement and carrying a firearm in a parade.
Court records showed Glass had a number of non-moving violation tickets on his record in Virginia, including four tickets for failure to have a vehicle inspected, with the most recent coming just weeks before the parade. Other tickets included improper exhaust systems and no marker lights.
Glass was sent to jail on $250,000 bond, but later released and put under house arrest while he waits for trial. He is not allowed to drive in North Carolina without a valid vehicle inspection.
His attorney said, "Landen is so sorry. He is so distraught for what happened. He is haunted as to what happened. He will be haunted by those events for the rest of his life."
'Shine like Hailey:' Parents push for stricter safety regulations at Raleigh Christmas Parade
Hailey's family spent the months following her tragic death pushing to increase safety regulations at parades with the 'Shine like Hailey Act.'
The Shine Like Hailey Parade Safety Act would apply to cities over 35,000 people, and would mandate drivers be 25.
The Shine Like Hailey bill asks for:
- Vehicle safety inspections done at least seven days prior to the parade by law enforcement or a local fire department
- All drivers need to be at least 21
- Minors participating in the parade should have adequate adult supervision
- Passengers in parade vehicles are limited to one adult 18 or older
- All vehicles and trailers must have current and valid registration plates
- All vehicles and trailers must have automobile insurance coverage
- All drivers need to possess a valid license for the type of vehicle they are operating
In a lawsuit against Glass and parade organizers, Hailey's family says his truck was unfit to be on the road. Glass had a history of traffic violations and had never driven in a parade.
"At the time of the parade, the emergency brake cable could be seen disconnected and dangling beneath the driver’s side door of the truck," the lawsuit reads.
Hailey's family took to the courts and state legislature to fight for guidelines they hope could save lives in the future – a tribute to the memory of their daughter.
The bill has stalled in the general assembly.
City of Raleigh cancels 2023 Christmas Parade, then reinstates it without motorized vehicles
In 2023, the City of Raleigh denied the permit for the Raleigh Christmas Parade; however, after hearing from an upset community, the city ultimately decided to allow the parade to continue – but without the use of motorized vehicles.
When the initial decision to cancel the parade was first announced, Hailey's father Trey Brooks called out the city for their decision, saying, "We were troubled to learn that the city denied the permit for this year's parade rather than enacting change that would have put safety measures that have substance in place and allowed the parade to go on. We were hurt and offended when you, Mayor Baldwin, pointed to our family as a cause for the parade being canceled."
He disagreed with the city's claim that they were canceling the parade to honor Hailey and out of respect for the family, saying the city never contacted the family to see what they would have wanted.
"Neither you nor anyone from the city has ever bothered to contact us on the tragic death of our daughter to ask whether we would consider it an honor for the city to cancel this year's parade," he said.
Soon after, the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association announced this year's parade will be held without vehicles.
Raleigh Christmas Parade 2023: Information, updates and details
The 79th Annual Raleigh Christmas Parade, presented by Shop Local Raleigh, will take place on Saturday, Nov. 18, and start at 9:30 a.m.
Raleigh Christmas Parade route:
- Parade starts on Hillsborough Street by St. Mary's Street
- Continues to State Capitol building
- Turns right on Salisbury St.
- Turns left on Morgan St.
- Turns right on Fayetteville St. and marches to its finale on Lenoir Street
The Raleigh Christmas Parade runs around 1.4 miles and lasts around 2.5 hours.
More details on the parade can be found on the Raleigh Christmas Parade website.
