On March 4th, 2024, Trooper Brian Young of the Grantsville Detachment of the West Virginia State Police responded to a school bus roll over with occupants near the 8900 block of S Calhoun Highway, Millstone, Calhoun County, WV. When the officer arrived he observed the school bus rolled onto its side and EMS evacuating children from the rear of the bus. A male was inside the bus yelling and screaming who was identified as the accused, Jeffrey Brannon, the driver of the bus, custodian of the children on the bus, and was operating the bus at the time of the accident. Brannon began yelling and acting aggressive, at which time Trooper Young detained him in hand restraints and placed him the rear of the cruiser. Young then went back to assist with the injured at the scene. When he returned to the cruiser and removed the accused to take his drivers statement of the accident, Trooper Young detected the odor of alcohol emitting from his breath and inquired if he had drank any alcohol on that day which he stated he did.
Jeffrey Brannon was then given a preliminary breath test which produced a readout of .161%. He was then placed under arrest and transported to the WVSP detachment where he was tested on the standard Intoximeter, which revealed the accused blood alcohol level to be .127%. The accused was then processed for DUI causing injury and child neglect causing injury. While processing, Trooper Young discovered that serious injuries had occurred to at least three (3) of the students being transported by the accused. These injuries included K.W. (10/13/09) with a pulse-less lower leg; C.B. (8/25/11) with a T1 vertebra fracture; and H.H. (1/13/10) with head injury concussion.
All acts occurred in Calhoun County, WV.
The charges filed against the defendant read as follows in the the code of the State of West Virginia
§17C-5-2.(c) Driving under influence of alcohol, controlled substances,
(c) Any person who drives a vehicle in this state while he or she is ni an impaired state, and such impaired state proximately causes serious bodily injury to any person, including an embryo or fetus as defined in §61-2-30 of this code, other than himself or herself, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in a state correctional facility for not less than two nor more than 10 years and shall be fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $3,000, and shall have his or her license to operate a motor vehicle revoked by the Commissioner of the Division of Motor Vehicles for a period of five years or for a period of time conditioned on participation ni the test and lock program in accordance with §17C-5A-3a of this code: Provided, That fi the person has previously been convicted under this section, the person shall have his or her license to operate a motor vehicle revoked by the Commissioner of the Division of Motor Vehicles for life or for a period of time conditioned on participation in the test and lock program in accordance with §17C-5A-3a of this code.
§61-8D-4. (b)Child neglect resulting in injury; child neglect creating risk of injury; criminal penalties
(b) fI a parent, guardian or custodian neglects a child and by such neglect cause the child serious bodily injury, as serious bodily injury is defined in section one, article eight-b of this
chapter, then the parent, guardian or custodian is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $300 nor more than $3,000 dollars or imprisoned in a state correctional facility for not less than one nor more than ten years, or both.
