XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, alt.atheism, alt.home.repair
XPost: alt.politics.trump

A North Dakota man was sentenced Friday to five years
in prison for running over and killing an 18-year-old
after a small-town street dance last year in a case
that drew the attention of Donald Trump after the
driver initially claimed the teen was a "Republican
extremist" who threatened him.

Ellingson over after a political argument and that
the teen had threatened him and was part of a radical
group, according to court documents. Authorities soon
afterward said there was little evidence of a
political nature to the case.

The case drew national attention and a social media
outcry for its alleged political bent. Trump
denounced the supposed political circumstances of
Ellingson's death in a rally shortly afterward.

A state district court judge on Friday sentenced
Brandt to five years in prison with credit for nearly
a year served, followed by three years' supervised
probation and a yearlong suspension of his driver's
license. The charge's maximum penalty is 10 years in
prison, a $20,000 fine or both.

He was initially charged with criminal vehicular
homicide, which was later dropped. He was then
charged with murder and later pleaded guilty to
manslaughter. Brandt had also been charged with
leaving the scene of the fatality, since dismissed in
a plea deal.

Brandt had been drinking before the argument with
Ellingson, whom he struck and knocked down with his
SUV after a verbal argument, driving over his torso
and legs, according to prosecutor Kara Brinster. An
autopsy determined Ellingson was on the ground when
he was fatally injured, according to an affidavit.

According to an initial news release from the North
Dakota Highway Patrol, Brandt's Ford Explorer struck
Ellingson, who died at the hospital after he
"sustained serious injuries."

Brandt called 911 and told a dispatcher he had hit a
man with his vehicle and requested an ambulance,
according to the court document. He allegedly left
the scene before officers arrived, and was later
arrested at his home in Glenfield, where officers
found him "visibly intoxicated," according to the
affidavit.

Brinster and another prosecutor did not respond to
phone messages from The Associated Press for comment
on the sentence.

Defense attorney Mark Friese told the AP Brandt "is
relieved to have finally been able to offer his
apology and to allow the Ellingson family to move
forward. It's been a very difficult year for everyone
involved.

"It got exacerbated by false information making it
into the media and people using this tragedy to
advance their political platforms," Friese said.

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