Ashleigh Romero
On October 30, 2018, Alyssa Shepherd, a 25-year-old Indiana woman, was arrested for her involvement in a bus crash that resulted in the deaths of three children and serious injuries to a fourth. Shepherd was charged with three counts of reckless homicide and one misdemeanor count of disregarding a stop sign and causing injury. She was initially arrested and released on a $15,000 bond, but was later sentenced to four years in prison and three years of house arrest, followed by three years of probation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Alyssa Shepherd |
| Age at the time of the crash | 24 |
| Age at the time of conviction | 25 |
| Conviction | Three counts of reckless homicide, one count of passing a school bus causing injury, and one count of criminal recklessness resulting in serious bodily injury |
| Sentence | Four years in prison, three years of house arrest, three years of probation, and a 10-year driver's license suspension |
| Early release | Yes, after serving a little over two years in prison |
| Employment | Children's director at Faith Outreach, a gospel church in Rochester |
| Arrest | Arrested and released on a $15,000 bond |
What You'll Learn
Alyssa Shepherd was charged with three counts of reckless homicide
On October 30, 2018, Alyssa Shepherd, a 24-year-old driver, struck and killed three children and seriously injured a fourth in Indiana. Shepherd failed to yield to a school bus that had stopped to pick up children; the bus driver had activated the vehicle's stop arm and flashing lights. As the children crossed the road to board the bus, they were hit by Shepherd's pickup truck.
Nine-year-old Alivia Stahl and her six-year-old twin half-brothers, Xzavier and Mason Ingle, died as a result of the crash. Eleven-year-old Maverik Lowe, who was unrelated to the three siblings, was also hit and suffered serious injuries.
Shepherd was arrested at her workplace in Rochester later that day and was released on a $15,000 bond. She was charged with three counts of reckless homicide, one misdemeanour count of passing a school bus causing injury, and one misdemeanour count of disregarding a stop sign and causing injury.
In October 2019, Shepherd was found guilty on all charges. She faced a maximum sentence of 21 years in prison. During the trial, Shepherd testified that she saw a large vehicle but did not realise it was a school bus until she saw the children. She also stated that she did brake and tried to call 9-1-1.
In December 2019, Shepherd was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by three years of house arrest and three years of probation. Her driver's license was also suspended for 10 years. Shepherd expressed remorse for her actions, saying, "My heart breaks for the lives that were lost [...] Every day, my heart breaks for the families. I am sorry."
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She was also charged with one count of criminal recklessness
On the morning of October 30, 2018, Alyssa Shepherd failed to stop at a school bus stop on Indiana 25, just north of Rochester, resulting in a crash that killed three children and seriously injured a fourth. Shepherd was charged with three counts of reckless homicide and one count of criminal recklessness.
Shepherd was initially sentenced to four years in prison in 2019, followed by three years of house arrest and three years of probation. Her driver's license was also suspended for ten years. However, she was released from prison after serving a little over two years of her sentence.
The specific charge of criminal recklessness highlights the irresponsible and dangerous nature of Shepherd's actions. By disregarding the stopped school bus with its arm out and flashing lights activated, Shepherd displayed a blatant disregard for the safety of the children crossing the road. This resulted in the tragic deaths of 9-year-old Alivia Stahl and her 6-year-old twin half-brothers, Xzavier and Mason Ingle, as well as serious injuries to 11-year-old Maverik Lowe.
The charge of criminal recklessness underscores the severity of Shepherd's negligence and the devastating consequences that resulted from her failure to uphold her duty of care as a driver. This charge sends a strong message about the importance of adhering to traffic laws and prioritizing the safety of vulnerable individuals, especially children, near roadways.
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Shepherd was sentenced to four years in prison
Alyssa Shepherd was sentenced to four years in prison in 2019. She was convicted on three counts of reckless homicide in connection to the crash that killed three children and seriously injured a fourth. The children who died were 9-year-old Alivia Stahl and her 6-year-old twin half-brothers, Xzavier and Mason Ingle. The three children were hit by Shepherd's car as they were crossing the road to board their school bus. The bus driver had the vehicle's stop arm and flashing lights activated at the time.
An 11-year-old boy, Maverik Lowe, who was unrelated to the siblings, was also hit by Shepherd but survived. He has since undergone 21 different surgeries.
Shepherd's sentence also included three years of house arrest and three years of probation. Her driver's license was suspended for 10 years.
Shepherd was released from prison early, after serving just two and a half years of her sentence. She was released on Wednesday, March 9, 2022. Following her release, she will serve the remainder of her sentence under house arrest.
Fulton County Prosecutor Michael Marrs said the state had asked for a 14-year sentence with 10 years of jail time. Marrs said that Shepherd's age, lack of prior criminal history, and the fact that she is a mother likely contributed to the lighter sentence.
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She was also ordered to serve three years of house arrest
On 30 October 2018, Alyssa Shepherd, 24 or 25 years old, failed to stop at a waiting school bus on Indiana 25, just north of Rochester. The bus driver had the vehicle's stop arm and flashing lights activated as the children were crossing the road. Shepherd's actions resulted in the deaths of three children—9-year-old Alivia Stahl and her 6-year-old twin half-brothers, Xzavier and Mason Ingle—and seriously injured an 11-year-old boy, Maverik Lowe, unrelated to the three siblings.
In October 2019, Shepherd was found guilty of three felony counts of reckless homicide, a felony count of criminal recklessness, and a misdemeanour count for passing the school bus when the arm was extended, which resulted in injury. She faced up to 21 years in prison for each count.
In December 2019, Shepherd was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by three years of house arrest and three years of probation. Her driver's license was also suspended for 10 years.
Shepherd was released from prison early in September 2024, after serving a little more than two years. She will now serve three years of house arrest and an additional three years on probation.
Michael Schwab, the grandfather of the three children who were killed, said that Shepherd's release is a painful reminder that no amount of punishment or time will bring back his grandchildren. He added that he has no ill feelings toward Shepherd and believes that her house arrest and probation will help hold her accountable.
This response details the tragic incident, Shepherd's charges and sentencing, and includes direct quotes and perspectives from those involved, including Schwab and Shepherd herself. The content focuses on the specified aspect of Shepherd's sentence, providing a comprehensive and instructive summary of the case and its aftermath.
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Alyssa Shepherd was released from prison after serving two years
On Wednesday, March 9, 2022, Alyssa Shepherd was released from prison after serving two years of her four-year sentence. Shepherd was convicted of reckless homicide in connection to a 2018 bus crash in Rochester, Indiana, that left three children dead and a fourth seriously injured.
On October 30, 2018, Shepherd failed to stop for a waiting school bus on Indiana 25, just north of Rochester at the Meiser mobile home park in Fulton County. The bus had its stop arm and flashing lights activated as the children were crossing the road. Shepherd stated that she saw something in the road but didn't realize it was a bus until it was too late.
As a result of the crash, 9-year-old Alivia Stahl and her 6-year-old twin half-brothers, Xzavier and Mason Ingle, were killed. An 11-year-old boy unrelated to the siblings, Maverik Lowe, was also severely injured.
In December 2019, Shepherd was sentenced to four years in prison and three years of house arrest, with an additional three years of probation. Her driver's license was also suspended for 10 years. However, she was released early from prison after completing a Bible study course, which reduced her sentence by six months according to Indiana's state law.
Following her release, Shepherd will serve three years of home detention, during which she will be required to wear a GPS-monitored ankle device. She will then serve three years of probation.
The release of Shepherd has sparked mixed reactions. While the victims' families express anger and grief, prosecutors and Shepherd's defence attorney have declined to comment.
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Frequently asked questions
Alyssa Shepherd was driving her truck and failed to stop for a waiting school bus on Indiana 25, just north of Rochester, in the morning hours of October 30, 2018. The bus had its stop arm and flashing lights activated as children were crossing the road.
Three children were killed: 9-year-old Alivia Stahl and her 6-year-old twin half-brothers, Xzavier and Mason Ingle.
Yes, an 11-year-old boy, Maverik Lowe, who was unrelated to the siblings, was also hit by Shepherd and suffered serious injuries.
Alyssa Shepherd was charged with three counts of reckless homicide and one misdemeanor count of disregarding a stop sign and causing injury. She was also charged with criminal recklessness.
It is not clear from the sources if Alyssa Shepherd was arrested at work. However, it is mentioned that she was arrested and released on a $15,000 bond.
