Shepherd sentenced for Fulton County bus stop crash that killed 3

Alyssa Shepherd has been sentenced to four years in prison for the Fulton County bus stop crash that killed 9-year-old Alivia Stahl and her 6-year-old twin brothers, Mason and Xzavier Ingle.

Maverik Lowe, who was 11 at the time of the crash, was also hit and suffered severe injuries.

The crash happened on Oct. 30, 2018, as the children were crossing State Road 25 in Rochester to board their school bus.

of all three counts of felony reckless homicide, Level 5 felonies. She was also found guilty of criminal recklessness, a Level 6 felony, and guilty of passing a school bus causing injury with stop arm extended, a Class A misdemeanor.

For each reckless homicide count, Shepherd was sentenced to one year in prison, one year of house arrest and one year of probation.

Shepherd was also sentenced to one year in prison for each of the other two charges, and that time will be served concurrently for a total of one additional year.

Shepherd faced a maximum of 21 1/2 years in prison.

The family of the victims said they wished Shepherd received a harsher sentence.

"We all feel as a family that the death of killing three children should have been a more stringent penalty, but we are glad she is going to get some time served," grandfather Michael Schwab said.

Lowe also said he believes justice has not been served.

"She should be doing 20 years and never drive again," Lowe said in a statement.

Brittany Ingle, the mother of the three kids who were killed in the crash, was taken from the courthouse in handcuffs after trying to charge at Shepherd during sentencing.

"Was able to get close to her and struck her in some way, either with her hand or elbow, maybe in the face or head area, and probably going to be a battery charge coming out of that," Fulton County Prosecutor Michael Marrs said.

Still, family, friends and prosecutors said they hope this case sets a standard for the future.

"You can't just drive any way you want. You've got to be responsible. There's laws against reckless behavior," Marrs said.

"But children still remain our greatest gift, and if we are not going to protect them and hold people accountable when they get hurt, then we may as well just get rid of laws," Schwab said.

"Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with the Stahls and Ingles. We hope there can be some healing for them, in any way that that happens, and hopefully the sentence today does something, to some measure to help them," Deputy Prosecutor Rachel Arndt said.

Stay with 16 News Now on this developing story.