ROCHESTER, Ind. — A northern Indiana woman was convicted Friday of reckless homicide for hitting and killing three children and injuring another with her pickup truck as they crossed a two-lane highway to board their school bus on October 30th last year (2018).
The Fulton County jury also found 24 year old Alyssa Shepherd, guilty of criminal recklessness in the crash that killed 6-year-old twin brothers Xzavier and Mason Ingle, and their 9-year-old sister, Alivia Stahl. 11 year old Maverik Lowe was critically injured.
At the time of her arrest, Shepherd told authorities she didn’t realize that she was approaching a stopped school bus, despite the activated stop arm and flashing lights. Court documents show Shepherd told police she saw the lights but didn’t recognize the vehicle as a school bus until the children were right in front of her.
Shepherd and her attorneys left the courtroom after the verdict was read and made no statement. She could face up to 21 ½ years in prison at sentencing, scheduled for Dec. 18.
The crash led to statewide changes, prompting the Legislature to increase penalties for drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses.