A Jones Chapel man has been indicted for manslaughter in a Christmas Eve shooting that killed his 22-year-old son.

A Cullman County grand jury returned the felony indictment against Donald Wayne Trammell, 42, of County Road 992. He was booked into the Cullman County Jail Thursday and remained there Saturday on $30,000 bail.

Cullman County Sheriff’s investigators did not categorize the shooting of Logan Trammell, a musician who aspired to move to Nashville, as an accident. However, his family has previously said his death was a tragic accident.

Logan Trammell was shot by his father as the young man drove away from his home in Donald Trammell’s truck. Unaware Logan was borrowing his truck and believing it was being stolen, he shot at it. When it stopped, he realized he had mistakenly shot and killed his own son, the family told Birmingham news station WIAT.

“It was just a horrific accident. My brother thought someone was stealing his truck, never realized it was Logan because he didn’t live down here all the time, he lived with my mom and dad,” Tammy Jacobs, Donald’s sister and Logan’s aunt, told the news station. “And he was supposed to be in the bed.”

Asked about when a homeowner is justified in using a gun, Blaylock said, “The law is you can’t use deadly force to protect your property, even if something is being stolen. It’s the law. Under ‘Stand Your Ground’ law you use deadly force if you feel you or your family is being threatened.”

Donald Trammell didn’t have an attorney listed on court records Saturday. He is set to be arraigned on the manslaughter charge March 5 with Circuit Judge Martha Williams presiding.

 

Tiffeny Owens can be reached at 256-734-2131, ext. 135.