Texting, watching videos while driving lands man in prison for manslaughter

Add Us On GoogleAdd as a preferred source on Google

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) -A Brazos County Jury sentenced Brandon Bowers, 38, of Houston to five years in prison for the manslaughter of two people.

Prosecutors say on the night of Nov. 2, 2018, Madora Swist was on her way to Bryan to visit family with her three young sons. As she approached College Station, Madora missed the exit for Millican to fill up with gasoline and ran out of gas near Santa’s Wonderland in the northbound lanes of Highway 6.

Officials say she pulled over to the side of the road, turned on her hazard lights, and called her father, Charles Swist, for help.

Charles Swist showed up to help his daughter refill her gas tank, pulled his car behind Madora’s vehicle, activated his hazard lights, and used his headlights to illuminate his daughter’s car. While filling the gas tank, Madora and Charles were struck and killed by Bowers’ vehicle.

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. They interviewed Bowers, who admitted that he was looking at his phone and did not see the victims on the side of the road. He also admitted that he had deleted Instagram before law enforcement arrived.

During the investigation, law enforcement seized and downloaded Bowers’ cell phone.

Prosecutors presented evidence during the trial that the download showed the defendant watched and recorded videos, sent and read text messages on multiple platforms, and took screenshots prior to the crash. Prosecutors also presented evidence that as a result of Bowers being distracted by his phone, he crossed over the fog line and hit both vehicles and both victims at highway speeds.

At the time of the crash, all three of Madora’s sons were inside her vehicle, they were not injured in the crash.

“Texting and making videos on your cell phone while driving is reckless, unacceptable, and deadly. The jury sent a clear message that prison is the way this community will deal with those selfish acts,” said Brian Baker and Jessica Escue, Assistant District Attorneys.

The maximum sentence Bowers could have received was 20 years.