What we know about the Raleigh Christmas Parade float accident that left 1 dead

Raleigh police say they are still investigating after a young girl was struck and killed Saturday morning when the driver of a truck towing a float in the Raleigh Christmas Parade apparently lost control of the vehicle.

The truck’s driver now faces several charges.

Questions about the accident remain, but here’s what we know so far.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

What happened?

Just after 10 a.m. Saturday, shortly after the start of the Raleigh Christmas Parade, the driver of one of two pick-up trucks towing floats from the CC & Company Dance Complex apparently lost control of the vehicle.

Aerial video captured by ABC11, The News & Observer’s newsgathering partner, showed the crowd of dancers parting as the truck rode through, pulling a float carrying younger members of the troupe. That section of the parade route, near the intersection of Hillsborough Street and Boylan Avenue, is at a slight downhill decline.

ABC11, which was broadcasting the parade live, reported the driver was honking his horn and yelling for people to get out of the way.

The truck struck a female child “at a low rate of speed,” who was then hospitalized, according to Raleigh police. She died from her injuries.

How was the truck stopped?

Dancers and other bystanders rushed after the truck after it initially drove through the troupe, and ABC11 video from the ground showed a handful of people, including several police officers, jumping in front of the vehicle and stopping it by hand.

What kind of truck was it?

The truck was a white GMC Denali with several after-market modifications.

After inspecting the truck and attached float at the scene throughout the day Saturday, investigators towed it from the street just after sunset.

Police have not yet released any information about possible mechanical issues, although some spectators said they thought the brakes may have failed.

Who was the driver?

Raleigh police charged the driver, 20-year-old Landen Christopher Glass, with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, careless and reckless driving, improper equipment, unsafe movement and carrying a firearm in a parade.

Two other people were in the vehicle during the incident, whom the police have not identified.

In a statement Saturday, the department said the driver is cooperating with the investigation.

Glass was a member of the dance troupe, competing and winning with them in national competitions as recently as 2018.

Glass was ticketed by Virginia authorities on at least five separate dates since 2021. In that less than two-year period, Virginia court records show, Glass was ticketed four times for failing to have his vehicle inspected.

The remainder of the 17 infractions — the most recent from Oct. 30 — included violations for having an improper exhaust system and other equipment issues.

Who was the victim?

Authorities have not yet released the name or age of the victim, who was a young female member of the CC & Company Dance Complex.

Police confirmed in a statement just after 3 p.m. Saturday that she died after suffering serious injuries.

Was anyone else hurt?

Raleigh police say no one else participating or watching the parade was injured.

How did city and parade officials react?

Organizers of the Raleigh Christmas Parade canceled the event about 30 minutes after the incident.

“Today started with such joy,” Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said. “The parade route was packed with smiling kids and it made my heart so happy to see. Now we are all devastated by the news of this tragic accident and praying for the victim and her family. It is heartbreaking.”

Gov. Roy Cooper later tweeted that he and his wife, Kristin, were “devastated about the tragedy.”

“In a joyous season on what should be a happy day, we instead mourn for this family and their friends as we keep them in our prayers,” Cooper wrote.

Congresswoman Deborah Ross, who represents Raleigh, also wrote in several tweets that she was praying for the victim.

“My heart goes out to the family of the young dancer whose life was cut short much too soon,” Ross wrote.

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis wrote Saturday night that he and his wife Susan were “deeply saddened” by the girl’s death.

“Our prayers are with her family and the CC & Company Dance Complex,” Tillis said in a tweet.

What’s the CC & Company Dance Complex?

A fixture of the Raleigh Christmas Parade, the CC & Company Dance Complex is a Raleigh-based dance training school for students aged 2 to adult that has been in operation for nearly two decades.

Founder Christy Curtis was an early dance teacher of Ariana DeBose, who won an Academy Award for her performance in “West Side Story.”

On Instagram Sunday, DeBose wrote that she was heartbroken over the incident and is “surrounding the families involved with love and compassion.”

“I ask the Raleigh community to hold space for these good people whose lives will never be the same,” DeBose posted.

In a message on the school’s Facebook and Instagram pages Saturday, the staff wrote that they were still in shock.

“Please pray for our dance families, especially for those directly affected. And please, refrain from judgment regarding what happened until we know more and the authorities have finished their investigation,” the message read. “What we do know is that our hearts our broken and we must find ways to help each other through this.”

The N&O’s Brian Gordon, Dave Hendrickson, Lars Dolder, Teddy Rosenbluth, Brooke Cain, Ethan Hyman and Jessica Banov contributed reporting.