Brandon Hodges, Driver in Fatal Crash, Sentenced to Five Days in Jail

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- The 15-year-old driver in the fatal crash last spring that killed four fellow students was sent to jail for five days today for violating a home detention order.

Brandon Hodges had been under home detention while he awaits trial for the crash. He faces eight felony charges and a careless driving charge.

The terms of his home detention indicate Hodges can go to school, medical appointments, court, church and football after school; he is on the Baldwin High team.

But yesterday a witness called police when Hodges was seen at the Normandy Boulevard Sports Complex. Police arrived to find Hodges on the the bleachers next to the field where his stepfather, Carl Hilliard was coaching a football team. Hilliard had just picked Hodges up from football practice at Baldwin.

Hodges was taken into custody, then released last night. He was accompanied by his stepfather and his mother, Tonya Hilliard, today.

In court, Hodges' attorney Duke Fagan argued that the Hilliards were under the impression Hodges needed to be with his parents at all times, regardless of where he was. But prosecutors said the order specifically limits where Hodges can go.

Judge Jefferson Morrow responded that the defense was mincing words and sentenced Hodges to five days in a juvenile jail. Afterwards, Hodges will no longer be able to play football -- something he could do under the original ruling.

Fagan said that he plans to file a motion petitioning the judge to release Hodges, saying that his parents were not trying to deceive the court.

"This was a misunderstanding on the part of the judge. There has been no attempt by Brandon Hodges to play on words at all. He's done everything he could to follow that order. Mr. Hodges has never been in a situation like this before," Fagan said.

Fagan plans to file a motion against the judge's ruling. If the motion stays, Fagan says Brandon could possibly be back in his parents' custody by Friday.

Morrow decided in late August that Hodges wasn't a flight risk, so he allowed the teen home detention instead of jail time before the trial.

Hodges was driving an SUV with nine people onboard, all Ed White High School students, as they headed to the beach on the last day of school in June.

Investigators have concluded a tire blew, causing the crash that left four of the teens dead and four others injured.

Hodges had pleaded not guilty, with his attorney saying the crash was caused by a faulty tire, not the underage driver.

Stay with First Coast News as we continue to bring you the very latest in this case.

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