HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- The parents of a Richmond teenager arrested for hitting and killing a cyclist have questions about their son's mental state.
Jeffrey Brooks appeared in Henrico court Thursday morning and was assigned a July 25 court date.
Brooks, 18, was charged with manslaughter, maiming, and driving under the influence in connection to the August 2022 crash that killed cyclist Jonah Holland.
Police said Brooks drank alcohol and ingested drugs before hitting Holland and another cyclist on the Osborne Turnpike in eastern Henrico County
Holland, 49, died at the scene. Her riding partner survived but suffered permanent injuries.
Brooks' defense attorney has requested a sanity evaluation for his client. In a court filing, Brooks' attorney noted the Brooks family has a history of severe bipolar disorders in males.
The filing also noted Brooks' parents felt their son must have suffered a significant mental health event at the time of the crash based on their viewing of police body camera footage from the scene.
The Richmond-area cycling community raised nearly $100,000 for the families and held memorial rides in Holland’s honor.
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