Attorney: Mother charged in fatal wreck wants chance to attend kids’ funeral

An attorney representing the Columbus woman charged in the Saturday afternoon crash that killed her 6-year-old daughter and 13-year-old nephew said she wants a chance to attend their funeral.

“It’s sad,” Attorney Shevon Sutcliffe Thomas, who represents 32-year-old Franicisca Taperia-Santiago in the vehicular homicide case. “As you could tell, she could hardly keep her compsure.”

Taperia-Santiago and 10 passengers were traveling in a 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.

They were all transported to Columbus Midtown Medical Center with injuries.

Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan said Juliana Camaja Taperia and her cousin, Jose Manuel Taperia, died of blunt-force at 2:18 p.m. 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 4:40 PM with the headline "Attorney: Mother charged in fatal wreck wants chance to attend kids’ funeral."