PAW PAW, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Friday afternoon 31-year-old Sheila Kershner of Mattawan was charged with eight criminal counts in the death of an eight-year-old Amish girl, whose buggy was rear ended Wednesday morning.
Police say Kersher was driving an SUV that struck the buggy around 8:00 a.m.
She is charged with operating while intoxicated causing death, reckless driving causing death, manslaughter with a motor vehicle, operating while intoxicated causing a serious injury, reckless driving causing serious impairment of a bodily function, misdemeanor fourth-degree child abuse and two counts of operating under the influence with a passenger under the age of 16 years.
The most serious of the charges are punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The crash happened a little after 8:00 a.m. Wednesday in the area of County Road 215 and 60th Avenue near Lawrence. Alma Yoder was thrown from the buggy and died at the scene. Her 12-year-old brother was injured.
Michigan State Police Lt. DuWayne Robinson says their preliminary investigation shows that the buggy was traveling northbound on County Road 215 before it was rear-ended by the SUV.
Kershner’s bond was set at $500,000 cash surety. She is scheduled back in court April 9.
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