The suspect behind a fatal DWI-related car crash that killed a teenage girl last fall had his bond terms loosened.
A judge heard arguments Thursday on the bond conditions for suspected drunk driver Jeremy Spencer related to the September 2022 car crash that killed 13-year-old Brooklyn Moran.
Spencer, who was charged with intoxication manslaughter and assault relating to the fatal car crash, appeared in front of a Dallas County judge Thursday to request less restrictive bond conditions and access to the work tools sitting in the impounded truck he was driving that night.
Garland Police and investigators say that Spencer was allegedly drunk, high, or both when he fell asleep behind the wheel of his pickup truck and caused the head-on collision that led to Brooklyn’s death.
The vehicle Spencer collided with that night was occupied by Brooklyn, her mom Brittany Moran, who was driving, and one other passenger.
“I don’t even remember getting hit,” Moran told FOX 4 the night before Thursday’s court hearing.
Spencer has been out on bond under strict supervision since the deadly incident. Even so, court records revealed Thursday that Spencer tested positive for cocaine and meth on three occasions in the weeks following the car crash.
Still, the judge agreed with the defense team that after four months of clean urinary analysis results, doing away with the requirements was warranted.
“I’d like the defendant to be on notice that if he does come up positive again, that it is indicative of recent use, and that the state will be filing a motion immediately to find his bond insufficient,” said a prosecuting attorney at Thursday’s hearing.
Although the urinary analysis requirements were lifted, the Dallas County Judge ordered Spencer to wear a SCRAM device, which would test his sweat for alcohol every 30 minutes. Spencer must also maintain frequent use of his breathalyzer, which tests for alcohol and drug use.
The judge did not agree to let Spencer retrieve his work tools, agreeing with the prosecutors that the truck likely had information on “where he was working that day, what he was drinking that day, where he was going, and what led to this crash,” according to reporting from FOX 4.
While Thursday’s court hearing offered Spencer some bond relief, the judge warned that any further violations would result in his bond being revoked and the suspect going to jail.
This story breaks amidst a troubling surge in crime in Dallas. At the time of publication, instances of assault were up roughly 10%.