Shannon Brandt, aged 42, was sentenced to five years in state prison last Friday for causing the death of 18-year-old Cayler Ellingson in McHenry, North Dakota. The incident occurred on September 18, 2022, after a street dance. Prosecutors stated that Brandt ran over Ellingson with his 2003 Ford Explorer following an argument. In an arrest affidavit, a North Dakota State Patrol officer revealed that Brandt told a 911 operator that Ellingson “wouldn’t let me leave.” Brandt claimed that Ellingson was calling others to come after him and got on his vehicle, threatening him. Brandt mentioned something about a “Republican extremist group,” implying that he believed Ellingson was part of it. Sadly, Ellingson sustained severe injuries and died after being taken to a local hospital. Initially, Brandt left the scene but later returned and called 911 for assistance.
A separate affidavit filed by a North Dakota State Patrol officer stated that Brandt referred to Ellingson as a “Republican extremist,” although evidence suggests that this claim was not true. North Dakota Highway Patrol Capt. Bryan Niewind stated that there was no concrete evidence to suggest that Ellingson was associated with a “Republican extremist group” or that the incident carried any political motivations. Brandt was initially charged with criminal vehicular manslaughter, but the charges were later upgraded to murder by Forster County State’s Attorney Kara Brinster. However, on May 2, the charges were reduced to manslaughter, to which Brandt pleaded guilty on May 18. Consequently, he was sentenced to five years in state prison, with credit for time served during house arrest, reducing his jail time by nearly a year. Upon release, Brandt will be supervised for three years under probation.
The North Dakota State Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that the incident was an accident. Their report stated that Brandt had been trying to escape a confrontation with Ellingson when he unintentionally ran him over with his 2003 Ford Explorer. During the sentencing, Judge Bradley Cruff addressed Brandt’s autism diagnosis, acknowledging that he did not intentionally cause Ellingson’s death. However, the judge held Brandt accountable for recklessly pushing Ellingson to the ground with his SUV and running him over, resulting in his death. Sheri Ellingson, the mother of Cayler Ellingson, pleaded with the judge to give Brandt the maximum sentence of 10 years for manslaughter, expressing the immeasurable pain and suffering her family had experienced.
Before the sentencing, Brandt also spoke to the court, taking responsibility for his role in the tragedy and apologizing to the Ellingson family and the community for the impact his actions had caused. Mark Friese, Brandt’s attorney, stated that his client was relieved that the case had come to a conclusion, allowing those affected to commence their healing process.