Man accused of killing Garland girl, 13, in drunk driving crash out on bond
LEWISVILLE, Texas - A man accused of driving under the influence, causing a head-on crash that killed a 13-year-old girl and seriously injured her mother, is out of jail Thursday night.
Jeremy Spencer, who had a bond set at $450,000, paid the amount he needed to get out of jail and he was released from the Dallas County Jail two days ago.
Two weeks ago, Garland police said he slammed head on into the SUV carrying Brooklyn Moran and her mother, Brittney. Brooklyn died from her injuries.
Thursday night, loved ones held a memorial in her honor.
Those who gathered to remember Mighty, as she was affectionately called, were emotional, but her father and others were also upset after hearing the man accused of causing the crash that killed the teen is out on bond.
A youth soccer community came together Thursday to remember Brooklyn.
She was one of the smallest players on her team. Her teammates called her Mighty.
"She was like, ‘I got to keep my name, keep practicing, setting an example,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah you do, you have to stand up to that name.’ She went from Mighty Mouse to just Mighty," Brooklyn’s father, David Moran, said.
On September 9, Brooklyn was in the car with her mom as they headed to a Sachse high school football game.
Garland police said 30-year-old Spencer crossed the center median and hit their SUV.
Investigators believe Spencer was driving under the influence.
RELATED: Man accused of killing Garland girl, 13, in drunk driving crash had previous DWI
Brooklyn was killed. Her mother and friend were taken to a hospital. Her mother remains in a hospital.
Her father said what he misses the most about his daughter are hugs.
"Her hugs, she always…she gave good hugs," he said.
People who attended Thursday night’s vigil at the Dallas Texans soccer complex in Lewisville wore pink shirts and brought pink roses to honor their friend.
One of her coaches, Jon Patterson, said this news rocked the youth soccer community.
"I probably spend more time with Mighty and my team, and so does our coaching staff, than anybody," Patterson said. "And when it actually hits, now you don’t just click the news to the next channel when you hear about the drunk driving accident, or a death in general."
FOX 4 learned Spencer is now out on bond.
A judge set the bond for his intoxication manslaughter and assault charges at $450,000.
This week, he paid the amount needed to get out.
He’d spent 30 days in jail for a DWI conviction last year.
"Very angry and kind of tired of us being in a situation, as a victim, planning funerals or memorials while other people get out of jail while they have taken a like and sit and wait to see what happens," Brooklyn’s father said.
RELATED: Friends of 13-year-old killed by suspected intoxicated driver remember her life
David said his daughter was an organ donor.
He said her heart, lungs, and other organs are now going to give others a chance to survive, and he said that gives him some hope.
"I was talking to her pastor and said she might have given a liver or heart to someone who goes on to be a president or give a cure to cancer, you never know," he said. "That might be the reason God took her, so she could help other people to go on to do better things."
Brooklyn’s team will play their first game without her on Saturday.
In addition to the memorial, they also signed letters for Governor Greg Abbott, pushing for tougher laws for repeat DWI offenders.