After about a month of being sought by authorities, the man charged with the death of an Eatonton woman in a vehicle crash turned himself in.
Joshua Loyd Bruinekool, a.k.a. “Jailbait,” 44, of Eatonton, was arrested Monday and is being held without bond in Putnam County jail on charges of felony homicide by vehicle first degree, felony false statements made in writing, misdemeanor habitual violator, and probation violation of an October 2023 conviction of misdemeanor family violence, according to jail and Putnam County Clerk of Court records.
Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said he had gone to Bruinekool’s mother’s house in Eatonton several times looking for Bruinekool, and the mother called their attorney, who advised the self-surrender.
“So, the lawyer was walking beside him when he walked in,” Sills said.
Bruinekool was the driver of a Dodge Dakota pickup involved in a single-vehicle crash on Feb. 13 in which 43-year-old Jessica Shawn Walton was killed.
Bruinekool, Walton, and another passenger were traveling north on Harmony Road around 10:30 p.m. that Tuesday when the truck went off the road, crashed into a tree, and turned over on its side, according to sheriff’s office reports.
Walton was killed in the crash and Bruinekool and the other passenger were flown by medical helicopter to Atrium Health Navicent Medical Center in Macon. They were both released a week later, and Sills obtained warrants for Bruinekool’s arrest.
Regarding the above-mentioned charges, Sills said Bruinekool had stated in writing that Walton was driving the truck, but the other passenger and evidence at the scene revealed Bruinekool was the driver.