• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Monday, May 23, 2022
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
No Result
View All Result
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
No Result
View All Result

Trial in Brayfield death could be in September

Debbie Coleman-Topi by Debbie Coleman-Topi
August 27, 2020
in Platte County
Preston Brayfield

Preston Brayfield

17
SHARES
422
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

The parents of a Platte County man killed by a drunk driver as he worked road construction in Arkansas continue to fight for a conviction and the harshest possible sentence against the driver of the vehicle charged in the death of their son.

Family and friends joined Stacie and Jason Brayfield in Arkansas last week as they attended an arraignment for Kristopher Gould, 26, of Jonesboro, Ark., who is charged in the death of Preston Brayfield, 22.

RelatedNews

Hunters can take advantage of coyote control season

Quilt for an injured cop

Republican women’s group to meet Jan. 27

Preston was working on a job site in a small town near Jonesboro in May when he was struck and killed by Gould, according to the charges.

Gould pled not guilty during a July 29 arraignment, where the couple said they were met by members of Gould’s family, whom the Brayfields said stared them down. Preston’s advocates held hands and prayed outside of the courthouse where they awaited the arraignment, Stacie Brayfield said during a phone interview.

Court officials told the Brayfields personal items must be left in their vehicles, but a member of Gould’s supporters had a cell phone and appeared to take photos and video of Preston’s advocates prior to entering the courthouse. Due to COVID restrictions, the group that was present for the arraignment waited outside until Gould’s hearing, she said.

The family has feared that Gould will receive preferential treatment in the case due to his family ties to several people who are in law enforcement in the area and his ex-wife, with whom he has a child, is an area attorney. The Brayfields’ young sons were seated near each other but separate from other family members in the courtroom.

“They “looked (Gould) right in the eyes,” she said, calling them “brave little soldiers.” But, the loss of Preston has profoundly affected the family. She said several of her children suffer anxiety and nightmares due to the accident and are fearful if both she and Jason leave the house in the same car, fearing an accident could leave them orphans.

The Brayfields said they have asked the case’s prosecutor, Val Price, for information stemming from blood and other test results that would reveal Gould’s alcohol content and how fast he was traveling at the time of the accident. But Price has refused.

In addition, they also have been denied access to photos of Preston’s body and the coroner’s report which would reveal the full extent of Preston’s injuries.

“Was it a broken neck, brain injury, his heart.We want to know what happened to our son,” Stacie said. The only information they have received is that Preston died due to “blunt force trauma.” The parents say they have communicated with witnesses at the scene of the accident who have indicated Preston’s injuries were incredibly severe, maybe even have resulted in his body being severed. The couple spoke with the prosecutor’s supervisor, Scott Ellington, who told them the office will not release the information until a week before the trial, which is scheduled for late September.

A date in early September is the next scheduled hearing date and could result in a continuance, she said. However, Gould’s attorney and the prosecutor could reach a plea agreement, which would pre-empt a trial. The couple said they hope for a trial because they believe it may result in a harsher sentence than that a judge would provide in such an agreement.

So far, the prosecutor has charged Gould with negligent homicide, driving with an open container of alcohol and failure to stay in his traffic lane. However, he has not been charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI). Although the couple was worried about the current charges not being as severe as DUI, Ellington told them because the charges were increased to negligent homicide, a felony, the charges carry a stiffer sentence of five to 20 years in prison as compared with DUI, which carries a lighter sentence.

While Stacie said she and her husband were somewhat comforted by their phone call with Ellington, they continue to be frustrated by being denied access to test results and information about Preston’s injuries.

“Right now, we can’t find anything out about it,” Stacie said. “This whole thing has been strange. A real eye-opening experience.”

She added that Ellington told her she and her family should brace themselves for what lies ahead as it will be “long, slow and painful.”

Tags: platte county
Debbie Coleman-Topi

Debbie Coleman-Topi

Debbie’s journalism career officially began at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, where she was trained. Her works have appeared in the Kansas City Star and its former Sunday Magazine, the Independence Examiner and TWINS Magazine. Since 2016, Debbie has written for The Landmark, where she has reported on a wide range of Platte County area issues and people.

Related Posts

45 Years Ago–May 20, 1977

by Ivan Foley
May 20, 2022
0

Mr. and Mrs. Mike Latham of Kansas City announce the birth of their son, Brian Nelson, on May 12, 1977. The maternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Russell Quinn of Camden Point and the paternal grandparents are Mr. and Mrs....

30 Years Ago–May 22, 1992

by Ivan Foley
May 20, 2022
0

In a closed session Thursday, the Platte City Board of Aldermen voted to fire Tim Ryan, city administrator. Pearl Brown, the new mayor, declined to comment as to why Ryan was fired, and explained that "it is the policy of...

15 Years Ago–May 16, 2007

by Ivan Foley
May 20, 2022
0

Disa Rice, third grade teacher at Siegrist Elementary in the Platte County R-3 School District, received the Fox 4 News Crystal Apple Award on Wednesday. Rice was surprised by the presentation, as Siegrist staff and Platte County R-3 administration kept...

Gas prices

Local gas pricing pattern should be investigated

by Landmark Digital
May 20, 2022
0

EDITOR: Ivan had an interesting comment in today's paper about buying gasoline on Tuesdays. Our opinion, however, is that there is a more serious gas issue affecting Platte City. In the 18 years we have lived here, we have almost...

Next Post
CARES money

No CARES money for health department

Popular News

  • FBI Kansas City Field Office

    FBI headed to Platte County

    271 shares
    Share 108 Tweet 68
  • Multiple PCHS students taken to hospital

    105 shares
    Share 42 Tweet 26
  • Local gas pricing pattern should be investigated

    52 shares
    Share 21 Tweet 13
  • Effort alive to build new Northland Career Center

    30 shares
    Share 12 Tweet 8
  • Weatherby Lake man sentenced in fraud scheme

    16 shares
    Share 6 Tweet 4
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Call us at 816-858-0363

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Online
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem
    • Results by Week
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?