Indicted teen released on house arrest in fatal DWI crash case, victim's friends want answers

CLAYTON, Mo. - A teenager indicted for second-degree murder after a reported fatal DWI crash is free from jail tonight—on the day of his scheduled arraignment.

19-year-old John Brink was indicted by a grand jury this past November after a crash in Kirkwood took the life of 45-year-old assistant principal Sara Howell.

Tara Sulcer taught side by side with her at South City Academy. Howell's friends are asking why Brink isn't locked up.

“He killed someone. He should not be getting his freedom," Sulcer said. “She was just a great educator who left behind a huge legacy that probably won't be filled."

Howell rose from physical education teacher to assistant principal in her 15 years at the school on Meramec. A school photo with her colleagues was taken the day before she was fatally struck at Big Bend Boulevard and South Geyer Road on May 4.

Court records say the defendant's black box put him at driving 99 miles per hour in a 35-mph zone when he reportedly ran the red light.

“He got to walk his high school graduation two weeks after that from Affton High School. We were at our graduation ceremony mourning her loss.” Sulcer said. “It took six months, almost literally to the day finally for an arrest to be made."

A probable cause statement written by a Kirkwood police officer says, "The passenger in the defendant vehicle informed police that he and the defendant... created an alcohol drink in a gallon jug. They drank from his jug and were cruising through Kirkwood."

The officer added, "defendant refused to provide a blood sample. Officers obtained a search warrant for the defendant's blood. Lab analysis revealed defendant blood was still a .05 BAC almost six hours after the crash."

Brink was able to get a bond reduction that prosecutors opposed. He's now on house arrest after paying $15,000 while living at his parent's home in Affton. The judge ordered that he cannot drink and he cannot drive.

Brink was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday, but his attorney, Matt Fry, waived that arraignment so that Brink did not have to appear.

“This is a tragic incident for all of the parties involved—both the victim's family and for Jack, who was a high school senior at the time. Jack and his family are aware and acknowledge the deep loss that Ms. Howell's family, friends, and the community have endured. The bond reduction granted in this case is consistent with other bond determinations in similar cases throughout the region," Fry said in a statement to FOX 2.

He's pleaded not guilty, and there's no future court date set.

Brink is also charged with resisting a traffic stop. Kirkwood police report that they tried to get him to pull over before he reportedly ran that red light and killed the assistant principal.