Ex-Houston County bus driver sentenced

An ex- Houston County school bus driver, found guilty of homicide by vehicle and reckless driving, was sentenced to 3 years in the state penitentiary. Shalita Harris, 31, was held responsible for the fatal 2018 school bus crash that claimed the life of 6-year-old Arlana Haynes.

Harris appeared before Superior Court Judge Katherine Lumsden and the court gallery Monday afternoon in a prison jumpsuit and handcuffs, awaiting her sentence. Friday afternoon, a 12-person jury, after much deliberation, delivered a guilty verdict on the tail end of the 3-day trial.

Judge Lumsden delivered her sentence after hearing from witnesses, the prosecutor and the defense. She discussed the complexities of this particular case due to the fact that there was no proven malice, as Harris was not charged with murder. However, she acknowledged the responsibility of drivers everywhere to keep themselves and passengers safe at all times, especially juveniles.

She made sure to remind the court that Arlana’s death could not be forgotten in this situation and that the proceedings would not full heal or bring comfort to the Haynes family. “There is nothing that I can do or say today that is going to change what happened.” said Lumsden. “We can only deal with what is”. In addition to the 3 year sentence, Harris must serve a remaining 7 years of probation. Lumsden granted Harris a first offender sentence that would wipe the felony charge from her record if she completes her sentence without incident..

Present for the trial and sentencing was Haynes’ family, who described Arlana as overly friendly, sweet and extremely smart. Her father, Christopher, said his daughter was the most friendly child anyone would ever meet. He said family members worried about her tendency to strike conversation with complete strangers, but it was in Arlana’s nature to befriend any and everyone. “She was just super happy and super friendly to everyone she met, it didn’t matter,” said Christopher.

One by one, witnesses appeared before the judge and gave testimonies about their personal ties to the case and the individuals involved. Christopher provided a written statement that was read aloud by a court employee.

In it, he described the events following his daughter’s passing. He re-lived her final moments and emphasized the giant whole her absence left in his life. “I can honestly say that on that night a part of me died with Lana. It’s as if I never left the hospital,” Haynes wrote. “For the first time, there’s no school clothes to buy, no Christmas presents to get…no birthday cakes to decorate for the first six months after Lana was buried.”

Christopher continued stating that the trial shed light on what exactly happened to his daughter and asked that justice be served. He admitted that although he wanted to forgive Harris, he could not find the strength to do so. “Maybe, in time, these feelings will change. However, as it stands now, the words ‘I forgive you’ I cannot say or give forgiveness.”

Harris, who opted out of testifying during her trial, apologized to Arlana’s family in her own statement Monday. “I am so sorry for your loss, and I pray everyday for your comfort and to ease the pain that you must be feeling,” she said while looking at Arlana’s father.

Harris described the events of Monday, Jan. 29, 2018 as a “horrible accident” that she would never forget. “I didn’t wake up that morning expecting that to happen,” she said. The mother of 4 begged for a completely probated sentenced, as she did not want to be separated from her children.

Family, friends and coworkers addressed the court in support of Harris as well. They revered her as an honor graduate of Northside High, a caring mother, a loving wife, a devoted Christian and a military veteran. Each witness asked judge Lumsden for leniency and mercy. The consensus among them was clear–Harris wasn’t a malicious person. She would never intentionally hurt a child and she was not a reckless driver.

Harris’ husband, Benjamin, pleaded with the court and had questions about his wife’s felony charge. “The language goes something to the effect [of] ‘without malice or forethought.’ What else could it be but an accident?” he said through tears. “I don’t know nobody who does anything purposely without having forethought.” Benjamin addressed Lumsden directly and asked that she keep his family in mind before she gave her sentence. “We lay this whole family on your doorstep of mercy.”

Lumsden reminded the Harris family that, unlike the Haynes family, Shalita would get the benefit of knowing her kids were safe at home with her husband and loved ones.

January 29, 2018, Harris was driving Houston County School bus 009 down Forrest Park Dr. when the unthinkable happened. “What started out as laughter started turning into screams of horror,” said Greg McDonald, a passenger and eye witness to the crash.

Harris turned on to Forrest Park Drive. and attempted to negotiate a sharp curve until she lost control of the vehicle. That’s when the bus hit an embankment and landed on its right side. Though multiple students were injured, Haynes was the only child who did not survive the crash. She was ejected from the vehicle and taken to the hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries and passed away.