An Indiana woman, who was charged nearly one year ago withfatally striking three siblingswith her truck as they crossed the road to board a school bus, was convicted Friday of reckless homicide.
A Fulton County jury found Alyssa Shepard, 25, guilty of three felony counts of reckless homicide, a felony count of criminal recklessness and a misdemeanor count for passing the school bus when the arm was extended, which resulted in injury,USA Todayreported.
Shepard will face up to 21½ years on each count, should she be given the maximum sentence.
On Oct. 30, 2018, around 7 a.m., Shepard was driving a 2017 Toyota Tacoma southbound down a highway near Rochester when she struck Alivia Stahl, 9, and her 6-year-old twin brothers Xzavier and Mason Ingle at the Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation school bus stop.
Indiana State Police
Shepard also struck a fourth child, Maverik Lowe, 11, who is still recovering from his injuries and has had more than 20 surgeries over the past year,USA Todayreported.
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The afternoon after the crash, Shepard was taken into custody andcharged with three countsof reckless homicide and one misdemeanor count of disregarding a stop sign and causing injury, PEOPLE confirmed at the time.
According to court records, she was taken to the Fulton County Jail and released that night on a $15,000 bond.
Sean Lewis/Twitter
On Friday, Shepard’s fourth day of testimony continued in Fulton Superior Court. According toABC 57, this was the first day she had spoken about the crash, sharing that she did not see a bus or the sign telling her to stop.
However, when Shepard realized what happened after the crash, she said, “I was a mess.”
After the verdict was announced, Shane and Brittany Ingle, parents of the twins who were struck, and Michael Stahl, Brittany’s former husband, and Alivia’s father, toldUSA Todaythat they did not believe Shepard ever showed remorse for the crash.
“I don’t think we’ll ever feel closure,” Brittany told the outlet. “But this will go toward healing.”
She added, “They didn’t even get time to enjoy life. She totally stole their lives.”
Shepard’s attorney on the case, Michael Tuszynski, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Since the crash, the Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation bus stop has been relocated to a safer area and penalties have been increased for drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses according toUSA Today.
Shepard’s sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 18, ABC 57 reported. Until then, she remains out of custody.
source: people.com
