Teenager indicted for New Year’s murder, issued stricter house arrest

Published 8:00 pm Friday, August 22, 2014

A Brantley teenager charged with a New Year’s Day murder will be allowed to await his trial at home provided he follow 12 new conditions filed in circuit court Friday.

The conditional bond comes days after a grand jury indicted Taylor Driggers with two counts of murder for the death of 18-year-old Luverne native Kristin Fuller.

“One count for intentional murder and one count for reckless murder,” explained District Attorney Charlotte Tesmer. “We can try the whole case and before it goes to the jury, we’ll decide which case was made.”

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Driggers and Fuller were at a New Year’s party last January when Fuller was killed by a single shot, fired from a 12-gauge shotgun, Tesmer said shortly after the incident. The shooting took place at a residence on County Road 29 between midnight and 4:30 a.m.

While no toxicology information has been released, “apparently there had been some drinking of alcohol earlier in the evening,” said Tesmer in January.

Driggers, who was 19 at the time of the shooting, was a part of Brantley High School’s 2012 15-0 State Championship team and had planned to play football at Troy University next season, where he and Fuller were students.

Fuller graduated from Crenshaw Christian Academy in 2013.

Bond was set at $100,000 in January and Driggers was placed under house arrest. After this month’s indictment, Circuit Judge Terri Bozeman Lovell issued the stricter conditions.

Driggers will be required to remain in Crenshaw County unless the court gives him written consent and must live with his parents or grandparents. A parent or grandparent has to accompany him when he is away from home.

The only reasons he can leave home are for a court appearance; legal or medical appointment; church service; or to go to work. If he is employed, he has to provide a written work schedule to the court. Driggers’ commute to and from work is the only one he can make without a chaperone.

He will be arrested if he is found drinking alcohol or consuming any illegal substance; in possession of a firearm; commits a criminal offense or fails to appear or answer orders of the court.

Provided both sides are ready to proceed, Driggers will return to court in November.

“We’ll be ready to go in November,” said Tesmer. “We don’t know if the defense will be ready to go.”