Buddy Franklin Ricketts
A Bradley County man has been charged in a crash June 15, 2009, in which seven-year-old Haley Nicole Valenzuela died.
Buddy Franklin Ricketts, 34, was indicted by the Bradley County Grand Jury on charges of negligent homicide and two counts of reckless endangerment.
He was the driver of an SUV involved in the fatal crash on Old McClure Road.
According to investigators with the Bradley County traffic unit, Ricketts was delivering newspapers on Old McClure Road assisted by three children, ages 7, 5, and 8, when he lost control of the vehicle after topping a small hill. The vehicle slid sideways out of control, rolled, and ended up leaving the road colliding with a tree.
He was delivering newspapers with help from children ages 8, 7 and 5, when he lost control of the vehicle after topping a small hill. The vehicle slid out of control and hit a tree after rolling.
The child who died was partially ejected from the vehicle.
Ricketts was held on a $25,000 bond.