A 38-year-old Hopkins County man has been sentenced on the intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charges stemming from a vehicle crash which resulted in the death of one child and hospitalization of another child on Dec. 23, 2019, according to court reports.
Brant Lee McGinnis reportedly entered an open plea in court to both charges. On Jan. 20, 2021, the district judge sentenced McGinnis to 10 years on probation on each case and 180 days in jail as a condition of probation, according to the district attorney’s office.
Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Christopher Sorley, in 2019 arrest and crash reports, stated that based on his investigation, it was believed that McGinnis was driving a tan sport utility vehicle east on FM 1567 Dec. 23, 2019, at an unsafe speed as it entered a curve. The Chevrolet Yukon went off FM 1567 near FM 2948 into the north ditch, where it rolled onto its passenger side before resting on the passenger’s side in a ditch facing west. During the crash, two occupants were ejected from the vehicle, Sorley alleged in McGinnis’ 2019 arrest report.
“McGinnis admitted to drinking 6 beers before driving with his two young girls,” Sorley alleged in arrest reports.
McGinnis was transported to the hospital, where a blood sample was taken for testing and where he was treated Dec. 23 for what were reported to be minor injuries. McGinnis’ 9-year-old daughter, Keira McGinnis, was pronounced dead at the crash site at 5:19 p.m. Dec. 23, 2019. Another child, reportedly an 11-year-old girl, was transported to CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash, then later transferred to Children’s Hospital, according to DPS reports and Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace BJ Teer.
Upon his released from the hospital, Monday night, Dec. 23, 2019, McGinnis was jailed on intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault with a vehicle charges, according to arrest reports. He remained in Hopkins County jail for approximately 6 weeks, starting with his arrest on Dec. 23, 2019, through Feb. 3, 2020, before being released on bond, according to jail reports.
McGinnis was slated to appear at 9 a.m. Jan. 20 in district court for a sentencing hearing on second-degree felony intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge, according to the court docket. The judge sentenced McGinnis to 10 years probation on each case and 180 days in jail as a condition of probation, according to the District Attorney.
