2012-06-10 Browning
Death of Jeffrey Eugene Tankersley
The death of Jeffrey Eugene Tankersley occurred on June 10, 2012, when Tankersley, a 48-year-old Amarillo attorney, was struck and killed by a car while riding his bicycle on Dowell Road in Potter County, Texas. The driver, Brent Kyle Browning, was subsequently indicted on a charge of criminally negligent homicide.
Chronological timeline
- 06/10/2012, 2:40 p.m. — Brent Kyle Browning, 20, strikes Tankersley, throwing him onto the windshield and over the roof before he lands in a roadside barrow ditch.
- 06/10/2012 — The Texas Department of Public Safety begins investigating the collision
- 06/10/2012 — Tankersley’s funeral is held at First Baptist Church in Amarillo. A private burial follows
- 07/23/2012 — Amy Tankersley files a wrongful-death lawsuit in Potter County against Browning and his parents.
- 04/12/2013 — A Potter County grand jury indicts Browning, then 21, on a charge of criminally negligent homicide.
Collision
At approximately 2:40 p.m. on June 10, 2012, Tankersley was riding his bicycle north on South Dowell Road near Vista Drive, approximately one mile north of Interstate 40. He was wearing a bicycle helmet and was reportedly training for an upcoming triathlon.
At the same time, Browning, then 20, was driving a 2002 Honda Civic south in the northbound lane. The car struck Tankersley, throwing him onto the windshield and over the roof of the vehicle. Tankersley landed in a barrow ditch beside the road and was dead when emergency personnel arrived. Browning was not seriously injured.
One witness told KVII that Browning had been texting while driving. The Texas Department of Public Safety investigated whether alcohol or drugs contributed to the collision, but publicly available reports do not identify either as a confirmed factor. KVII reported on the initial investigation.
Jeffrey Tankersley
Jeffrey Eugene “Jeff” Tankersley was born on December 1, 1963, in Clovis, New Mexico, to Joel and Sallye Tankersley. At the time of his death, he was an attorney and partner at the Amarillo law firm Sprouse Shrader Smith.
Tankersley was survived by his wife, Amy, and their two children, Caroline and Beck. His funeral was held on June 13, 2012, at First Baptist Church in Amarillo, followed by a private burial. His published obituary described his family and legal career.
The Amarillo Swim Team held a community gathering in support of Tankersley’s family following his death.
Criminal proceedings
A Potter County grand jury indicted Browning, then 21, on a charge of criminally negligent homicide. The indictment alleged that he caused Tankersley’s death through criminal negligence by failing to maintain a proper lookout, failing to control his vehicle, crossing into the lane of oncoming traffic and striking Tankersley’s bicycle.
Browning was booked into the Potter County jail and released on a $5,000 bond. His attorney, Bill Kelly, emphasized that Browning was presumed innocent and declined to discuss the evidence. Randall Sims, the district attorney for the 47th Judicial District, likewise declined to comment on the facts of the case.
Criminally negligent homicide is a state-jail felony under Texas law. At the time of the indictment, the offense carried a possible sentence of 180 days to two years in a state jail and a fine of up to $10,000.
Wrongful-death lawsuit
On July 23, 2012, Tankersley’s widow filed a civil lawsuit in Potter County against Browning and his parents.
The lawsuit sought damages for pecuniary loss, loss of companionship and society, mental anguish, loss of inheritance, property damage, medical expenses, and funeral and burial costs. Publicly available reports do not identify the lawsuit’s final disposition.