Driver of truck that hit, killed girl at Raleigh Christmas Parade released from jail, placed on house arrest

The man believed to have been driving an out-of-control pickup truck that hit and killed an 11-year-old girl during the Raleigh Christmas Parade has been released from jail.

Landen Glass, 20, of Goode, Virginia, was released from jail on Thursday afternoon. Glass was sent to jail on $250,000 bond Wednesday, months after the death of 11-year-old Hailey Brooks.

Glass will be on house arrest with part of his release including the condition that he is not allowed to drive in North Carolina without a valid vehicle inspection.

Glass was indicted earlier in March on a charge of manslaughter. He made his first court appearance in January. His next court appearance is scheduled for Monday, April 3.

"We are grateful for the circumstances taken by the court, and believe the appropriate decision was made," said Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman. "We will now place this on a superior court calendar. If this is a matter that has to go to trial, then that will be at least a year or more from now."

Freeman said that, depending on Glass' record, he could be looking at up to two years of jail time.

In Glass's first court appearance, his attorney, Roger Smith, said Glass was very remorseful for what happened.

"Landen is so sorry," Smith said. "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."

Brooks was dancing with CC & Company Dance Complex in the parade on the morning of Nov. 19. She was struck and killed by an out-of-control pickup truck that Glass was driving. Glass claims the truck lost control of its brakes, but investigators have yet to find evidence of that.

Previously, Glass was charged with misdeameanor death by motor vehicle, would would carry no active prison sentence. Glass has no criminal record, but has a number of vehicle infractions, including six citations for failing to get his vehicle inspected, that weighed heavily on the bond set.