Involuntary manslaughter charges filed after firefighter’s death
A man from Carl Junction has been charged with 1st-degree involuntary manslaughter after the death of an area firefighter last October.
28-year-old Brant Cullen is accused of recklessly driving a golf cart that his coworker, 21-year-old Tucker Berry, of Lockwood, was standing on the back of.
Witnesses told police that Cullen and another man, Kreg Myers, were racing and speeding in the Briarbrook neighborhood of Carl Junction when Berry fell from the back of the golf cart. Berry then hit his head on the pavement and died from his injuries.
Prosecutors also allege that Cullen had consumed alcohol earlier that afternoon and failed to drive in a responsible manner.
Carl Junction officers say when they were notified of the nature of the incident, an officer attempted to contact Cullen at the hospital where had been taken, but Cullen was not there.
Officers then tried to contact Cullen at his home and there was no response. When Cullen was contacted the next day, he invoked his right to an attorney.
A month later, prosecutors had said they were not going to press charges against Cullen, but that has since changed.