GUILTY IN - Three Children Killed at School Bus Stop, Fulton County, Rochester, 30 Oct 2018 *Arrest*

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Alleykins said:
FRIDAY UPDATES/BREAKING: Alyssa Shepherd Found Guilty on All Five Charges - News Now Warsaw

As someone pointed out in a previous post, it's unlikely she'll get the maximum, based on past case sentences.
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Yup, though the max is 21,5 years, there is zero chance she'll get that. Educated guess: total term will be in the single digits, part suspended, part home detention, remainder in jail. No clue as to the actual ratio.

Wouldn't surprise me if she got something similar to this:

Canfield man sentenced for traffic death of 5-year-old girl

"...A Canfield man is going to jail for three months followed by six months of house arrest for a traffic crash that killed a child in Indiana.

Anthony Zircher, 46, of Callahan Road appeared in Wayne County Indiana Court Thursday where a judge approved a plea of guilty to reckless homicide, a fifth-degree felony.

(...)

According to the Indiana State Police, Zircher was driving in a no passing zone when his vehicle was involved in a fatal crash..."
 
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I looked at the comments under a local Indiana news story and was stunned to see nearly all the comments were upset about her being found guilty! Dozens or maybe 100 or more posts angrily stating things like “Haven’t you ever made a mistake” and “Who hasn’t become distracted while driving??” And many people saying that a young woman’s life shouldn’t be ruined over an accident that could have happened to anyone.

One lone person commented about the loss of the three children and everyone attacked her mercilessly. Name calling and worse.

Many people were blaming the school for the accident saying there is no reason to have school start so early that kids have to wait in the dark for the bus.
 
IceIce9 said:
I looked at the comments under a local Indiana news story and was stunned to see nearly all the comments were upset about her being found guilty! Dozens or maybe 100 or more posts angrily stating things like “Haven’t you ever made a mistake” and “Who hasn’t become distracted while driving??” And many people saying that a young woman’s life shouldn’t be ruined over an accident that could have happened to anyone.

One lone person commented about the loss of the three children and everyone attacked her mercilessly. Name calling and worse.

Many people were blaming the school for the accident saying there is no reason to have school start so early that kids have to wait in the dark for the bus.
Click to expand...

Wow. Those comments sound disgusting, like the children's lives didn't matter. Unbelievable.
 
Brief Q&A videos with the children's family after the verdict in this article.
Shepherd found guilty in fatal Fulton County bus stop crash, family reacts

Witness statement ( bbm for focus) :
A delivery driver behind the bus told jurors he saw everything. He said he saw the bus lights, the vehicle hitting the four children and the vehicle stop after the crash.

He said Shepherd walked up to him, asking, "What did I hit?"

He responded, "You just ran over kids. You probably killed them all."
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Didn't she say she saw the kids but it was too late to stop? Then why did she ask what did she hit?
'You just ran over kids': Emotional witness testimony in Fulton Co. bus stop crash
 
Even if there are no lights flashing or the stop sign on the bus facing out... I'd never think of passing a school bus that's stopped.

Rest in gentle peace to those sweet children.
My thoughts are with their families only !!
 
Alleykins said:
Wow. Those comments sound disgusting, like the children's lives didn't matter. Unbelievable.
Click to expand...

Agreed. She didn't have to pass the stopped truck, which is why she didn't see the school bus. People who drive recklessly put other people in harm's way. There are so many people who are aggressive/careless drivers.

All about "them". In a hurry, distracted. Driving a car is a huge responsibility. Car accidents kill more people than guns, but no one ever talks about "car control".
 
mickey2942 said:
Agreed. She didn't have to pass the stopped truck, which is why she didn't see the school bus. People who drive recklessly put other people in harm's way. There are so many people who are aggressive/careless drivers.

All about "them". In a hurry, distracted. Driving a car is a huge responsibility. Car accidents kill more people than guns, but no one ever talks about "car control".
Click to expand...

BBM for focus. The parents said something similar to that in their videos. The father said it best, that driving is a privilege, not a right, and when we get behind the wheel, we have a responsibility for everyone on the road, that it's not all about us (paraphrased). I applaud them for their fortitude during such a tragic time, and their bravery and strength for trying to make some small good from the tragedy by advocating for change.
 
Opinion piece (by me):

I believe some drivers are ignorant or in willful denial about their driving skills or their ability to drive a car safely at any given moment. I think this is mostly because it's difficult to give up the freedom & independence that comes with driving. My grandmother and great aunt come to mind. All the church ladies were dependent on Gram for rides to Sunday services, so it wasn't just her loss when she had to give it up. It was her friends who couldn't drive, too. She was from a generation where husbands drove, so some of the women she picked up were widows who'd never driven a day. And my great aunt had to get in a handful of accidents, mostly fender benders, but one very serious, before she got the hint.
Until we fall back, it is dark when I leave my house in the a.m. Though I'm certain there are no buses between me and work at that time, it's why I leave my house when I do, I still use caution. Bus routes & pickup times can change, but not only that. There are other flashing lights out there to be mindful of. Last Thursday, I ran into three sets of flashing lights during my morning commute. Had I not heeded them, even though I wasn't certain at first what they were due to darkness, I still slowed down. If I had used the same reasoning as AS, I would have hit a tree in the road, clipped a delivery driver getting into his vehicle, and/or hit a garbage truck. And this was on a route I was familiar with! So, it wasn't solely about being mindful of a school bus, but all flashing lights, not just for the safety of others, but my own as well.
But, through all this, something seems to have been overlooked: AS actions also put her passengers in danger. Had it been a garbage truck backing into the trailer park to empty a dumpster that she didn't recognize, this would have had a whole different ending. So, it wasn't solely about not recognizing the school bus. It's also about her decision not to drive defensively on behalf of herself and her own children & sibling that is also disturbing.
 
IceIce9 said:
I looked at the comments under a local Indiana news story and was stunned to see nearly all the comments were upset about her being found guilty! Dozens or maybe 100 or more posts angrily stating things like “Haven’t you ever made a mistake” and “Who hasn’t become distracted while driving??” And many people saying that a young woman’s life shouldn’t be ruined over an accident that could have happened to anyone.

One lone person commented about the loss of the three children and everyone attacked her mercilessly. Name calling and worse.

Many people were blaming the school for the accident saying there is no reason to have school start so early that kids have to wait in the dark for the bus.
Click to expand...
Comments mean nothing. Justin Harris initially had quite a bit of support after his son, Cooper, died while under his care. The support disappeared when his sexting and other disgusting behavior became known. In this case, the driver didn't slow her speed one bit. The jury absolutely got it right.

I hope this senseless, preventable tragedy persuades the school district to reconfigure their bus stops away from highway traffic.

JMO
 
MyBelle said:
Comments mean nothing. Justin Harris initially had quite a bit of support after his son, Cooper, died while under his care. The support disappeared when his sexting and other disgusting behavior became known. In this case, the driver didn't slow her speed one bit. The jury absolutely got it right.

I hope this senseless, preventable tragedy persuades the school district to reconfigure their bus stops away from highway traffic.

JMO
Click to expand...
I think the parents have already pushed for those safety measures, in addition to increased penalties.

My friend is a bus driver, and she says no matter what measures they take to prevent people from passing, from cameras to changes in bus routes, etc, someone always finds a way to get around her. If they change the route to only pick kids up curbside, like they did in our town, instead of crossing the street, my friend has witnessed drivers passing on the right, driving on people's lawn, to get around her. I have deep ditches in front of my house, so if they tried that, they'd probably hit my culvert.
Folks have even driven on the sidewalk to get around them (there are at least 2 vids on Youtube showing this).
 
Here's what I would propose:

Anyone not stopping for a school bus with its flashers on, who claims they didn't see it, should automatically lose their privilege to drive until they get their eyes checked by a professional. Cuz, if they can't see that behemoth in the road, there's something wrong with their vision and they shouldn't be driving until it's corrected.
 
Alleykins said:
Opinion piece (by me):

I believe some drivers are ignorant or in willful denial about their driving skills or their ability to drive a car safely at any given moment. I think this is mostly because it's difficult to give up the freedom & independence that comes with driving. My grandmother and great aunt come to mind. All the church ladies were dependent on Gram for rides to Sunday services, so it wasn't just her loss when she had to give it up. It was her friends who couldn't drive, too. She was from a generation where husbands drove, so some of the women she picked up were widows who'd never driven a day. And my great aunt had to get in a handful of accidents, mostly fender benders, but one very serious, before she got the hint.
Until we fall back, it is dark when I leave my house in the a.m. Though I'm certain there are no buses between me and work at that time, it's why I leave my house when I do, I still use caution. Bus routes & pickup times can change, but not only that. There are other flashing lights out there to be mindful of. Last Thursday, I ran into three sets of flashing lights during my morning commute. Had I not heeded them, even though I wasn't certain at first what they were due to darkness, I still slowed down. If I had used the same reasoning as AS, I would have hit a tree in the road, clipped a delivery driver getting into his vehicle, and/or hit a garbage truck. And this was on a route I was familiar with! So, it wasn't solely about being mindful of a school bus, but all flashing lights, not just for the safety of others, but my own as well.
But, through all this, something seems to have been overlooked: AS actions also put her passengers in danger. Had it been a garbage truck backing into the trailer park to empty a dumpster that she didn't recognize, this would have had a whole different ending. So, it wasn't solely about not recognizing the school bus. It's also about her decision not to drive defensively on behalf of herself and her own children & sibling that is also disturbing.
Click to expand...

You can report anyone anonymously to the DMV, and request that they have a road test rather than just automatic renewals.

I have heard all of the justifications why people "must" drive, but driving is a privilege, not an entitlement. And I think that anyone who kills people while driving, should lose that privilege. Harsh? Not really.
 
mickey2942 said:
You can report anyone anonymously to the DMV, and request that they have a road test rather than just automatic renewals.

I have heard all of the justifications why people "must" drive, but driving is a privilege, not an entitlement. And I think that anyone who kills people while driving, should lose that privilege. Harsh? Not really.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how that works in my state, I will have to check it out.

Genuine MVAs do happen. Almost 20 years ago, I had a really bad accident because of black ice. Luckily, I survived and no other car was involved involved. But had there been another vehicle involved and someone in that vehicle died because of me hitting black ice, I don't think I should be punished for something out of my control.
 
Just a couple of thoughts before sentencing next month.
My work schedule changed recently. Even though it's the same route, and I've commuted during that time frame in the past, I've come across school buses I didn't know were out that early.
And, for the first time in all my 20 years passing through my downtown, a bus stopped in the middle of the square to drop of a child. I stopped as I was supposed to, 20 feet away, which left me sitting at a green light at an intersection. To cross that intersection, I would have passed the bus. I'm sure the people behind me were annoyed, but the law is the law. Never encountered a bus there at that time. Ever.
I've also ran into the late bus out near my house, no lights flashing. I couldn't tell if it were a school bus or the UPS guy, that's the time he usually comes through, too. I slowed down in case it was going to drop off a student, because it was super dark out.
Which leads me to my next point. Why aren't the words school bus lit up above the driver? Our city buses announce their destination that way, with lighted neon signs on the front of the bus. But I noticed the school bus sign isn't, at least in my area. I think they should be lit up.
Does anyone know why?
 
Alleykins said:
Here's what I would propose:

Anyone not stopping for a school bus with its flashers on, who claims they didn't see it, should automatically lose their privilege to drive until they get their eyes checked by a professional. Cuz, if they can't see that behemoth in the road, there's something wrong with their vision and they shouldn't be driving until it's corrected.
Click to expand...
But people with perfect vision can be distracted by texting or other things.
 
IceIce9 said:
But people with perfect vision can be distracted by texting or other things.
Click to expand...

True, but in my state, it's illegal to text & drive or use a cell phone & drive. It's also illegal to drive distracted, like putting on makeup, eating, while driving, etc. Here, if they claim they didn't see a bus because they were distracted, they're probably going to get a ticket for that as well. I guess my point is, there is really no excuse to pass a school bus while it's lights are flashing. So a driver saying they didn't see the big yellow bus with it's lights flashing is admitting to either having bad eye sight or being distracted.
 
FULTON COUNTY, Ind. – A woman responsible for a 2018 crash that killed three siblings while they were getting on their school bus will learn her punishment Wednesday.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Alyssa Shepherd, who faces up to 21.5 years in prison. Her family is asking for a lesser sentence.

On Oct. 30, 2018, Shepherd was driving the truck that hit and killed 9-year-old Alivia Stahl and twin 6-year-old brothers Mason and Xzavier Ingle. A fourth child, Maverick Lowe, was seriously injured but survived.

Woman convicted in Rochester crash that killed 3 siblings at bus stop to learn sentence
 
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