Hearing continued for vehicular homicide suspect due to lack of interpreter

The preliminary hearing for the mother charged with second-degree vehicular homicide in the Saturday afternoon wreck that killed two children was continued during Columbus Recorder’s Court.

Judge Julius Hunter said the court didn’t have an interpreter available Monday morning to translate for Franicisca Taperia-Santiago, the 32-year-old Hispanic woman who authorities said was driving in the single-vehicle wreck that killed her 6-year-old daughter and 13-year-old nephew. He announced that the case would be continued until 9 a.m. Tuesday, allowing the court time to provide one.

“She needs an interpreter, and we don’t have an interpreter here,” Hunter said. “We’re going to try to get one here tomorrow to interpret for this case.”

Attorney Shevon Sutcliffe Thomas, who represents Taperia-Santiago, asked that the judge award bonds for his client. Before the hearing, she was being held in the Muscogee County Jail without bond on the vehicular homicide charges.

“I know the court’s need to hear evidence on the case,” Thomas said. “I still believe that, even as a misdemeanor, she’s still entitled to bond.”

Hunter told Thomas she would still need an interpreter to understand what’s going on with her case. The attorney offered to translate for his client Wednesday morning, so he could present his argument for bond.

The judge allowed Thomas to do so, but he still continued the case until Wednesday morning.

The testifying officer said 32-year-old Franicisa Taperia-Santiago and 10 passengers were traveling in an overloaded 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer around 1:30 p.m. Saturday. She was on the northbound ramp of Interstate 185 toward Victory Drive when she allegedly lost control while negotiating a turn.

The left front of the vehicle veered to the right, where it crossed the outside lane and outside shoulder. The left front struck the outside guard rail, causing the vehicle to trip and roll. It stopped on its roof on the Victory Drive east ramp. There was extensive damage to the vehicle, which authorities said was only designed to hold a maxim of eight people.

The passengers in the vehicle were Sherika Camaja-Taperia, infant; Priscilla Taperia, 1; Raynal Do Taperia, 2; Juliana Camaja Taperia, 6; Reyna Taperia, 6; Maria Taperia, 8; Juan Camaja, 13; Jose Manuel Taperia, 13; Alex Teletor, 15; and Amelia Taperia, 34.

Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan said Juliana Camaja Taperia and her cousin, Jose Manuel Taperia, died at 2:18 p.m. of blunt-force injuries in the emergency room. Their bodies will be sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime lab for an autopsy.

After being released from the hospital, Franicisa Taperia-Santiago was arrested at the Columbus Public Safety Center at 4 p.m. Saturday. She was charged with six counts of improper child restraint, four counts of unsafe tires, two counts each of second-degree vehicular homicide and reckless conduct, and one count each of failure to maintain lane, unsafe tires and no state driver’s license.

She pleaded not guilty to all charges during Monday’s hearing. She was awarded bonds totaling $16,675 after Thomas reminded the judge that she does not have any felonies and her current charges are misdemeanors.

This story was originally published February 27, 2017 at 2:13 PM with the headline "Hearing continued for vehicular homicide suspect due to lack of interpreter."