Outrage over post of 41-year-old biker who ‘crashed into teenage Republican’ after argument

Driver accused of fatally hitting teenager in North Dakota allegedly told investigators he intentionally hit the teenager with his SUV after the two had a political argument, according to court documents.

Cayler Ellingson, 18, was struck and killed after a street dance in McHenry early Sunday.

The driver is accused of hitting Ellingson in the street. Shannon Brandt, 41, is charged in Foster County with vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.

Jail records from Stutsman County, where Brandt was being held, show he posted $50,000 bail Tuesday and was released.

Brandt told investigators he left the scene after hitting Ellingson, returned briefly, called 911 and then left again, according to the probable cause statement.

A court document says Brandt told investigators he had been drinking before hitting Ellingson and thought the teenager was calling people to harm him after they argued and felt threatened.

He told state first responders that he ‘hit the pedestrian (Ellingson) because the pedestrian was threatening him.’

“Brandt stated that he had a political argument with a pedestrian who then called several people, with Brandt fearing that they would come for him,” court documents detail.

‘Brandt admitted to state radio that he hit a pedestrian and that the pedestrian was part of a Republican extremist group.’

“Brandt admitted to leaving the scene of the incident and returning a short time later where he called 911.”

Ellingson was taken to Carrington Hospital with serious injuries. He was pronounced dead.

The families of both Brandt and Ellingson showed up at the scene shortly after police arrived.

Investigators arrested Brandt later Sunday at his home in Glenfield.

Brandt “admitted to consuming alcohol prior to the incident,” records show.

Officials said he consented to a chemical breath test, which showed his blood-alcohol content was above 0.08%, the legal limit for driving.

The case has drawn the attention of former President Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr.

‘An 18-year-old conservative is murdered by a 41-year-old leftist and the media is completely silent. No connection to Joe Biden and his crazy speech just 2 weeks ago… like it never happened and it doesn’t matter. Of course Trump wouldn’t get that benefit, even though our media is corrupt!’ he tweeted on Tuesday.

Capt. Bryan Niewind of the North Dakota Highway Patrol, who helped investigate the death, said Brandt’s political claim lacked merit because the investigation is ongoing and more witnesses need to be interviewed.

Details of the alleged altercation have not been released.

Ellingson’s parents later told police they knew Brandt but didn’t believe their son did, the written statement said.

Ellingson’s mother described how she was on her way to pick up her son from McHenry when he called her around 2:40 a.m. asking if she knew Brandt.

Ellingson called again a short time later, saying ‘that ‘he’ or ‘they’ are after him.’

After that, she could no longer reach him, the document says.