Don’t Miss This: Texter who killed a pedestrian in Granite City sentenced to 4.5 years

Don’t miss these top stories Wednesday on BND.com:

▪ A texting driver who left the scene after fatally striking a pedestrian has been sentenced to 4.5 years in prison.

Travis E. Crain faced up to eight years in prison before pleading guilty to leaving the scene of an accident involving a fatality. He killed 25-year-old Mark Scott Harris Jr. April 19, 2015 on Edwardsville Road in Granite City.

Harris’ family called the outcome of the case a “slap on the wrist.”

▪ Police are looking for three suspects blamed for beating and robbing men on the parking lot of a Swansea grocery store.

The attack happened at 11:45 p.m. Tuesday at the Aldi store at 1708 N. Illinois St. The store was closed at the time.

One of the two men who was attacked was taken to an area hospital with minor injuries.

▪ A Belleville teen is dedicated to doing whatever she can to make children in the hospital more comfortable.

Natalee Brannaman, a student at West Junior High School, has made more than 100 pillowcases for patients in the Bob Costas Cancer Center at Cardinal Glennon Hospital in St. Louis.

Brannaman, 13, said she loves to sew and figured making the pillows was the best way to put her hobby to good use.

This story was originally published May 4, 2016 at 7:29 AM with the headline "Don’t Miss This: Texter who killed a pedestrian in Granite City sentenced to 4.5 years."