A 6-year-old girl is dead after being struck near her school bus stop in east Charlotte, and a 17-year-old now faces a felony charge in connection with her death. Mariana Espinoza, a Devonshire Elementary student, was crossing the street last Friday just after getting off her bus when she was hit. She died at the hospital the following day.
Police arrested Lachevis Finnie on Monday and charged him with felony hit-and-run resulting in death. According to court documents, Finnie confessed to striking the child and told investigators he drove away because he was scared. Investigators identified the Mercedes-Benz involved through a traffic stop. In Mecklenburg County court on Tuesday, Finnie was appointed a public defender, his bond was set at $2.5 million, and a mental health evaluation was ordered.
The case raises uncomfortable questions that reach beyond Charlotte: how safe are our bus stops, how do we talk to teen drivers about the seconds after a crash, and how should the justice system handle a 17-year-old facing a charge of this weight? Here on the Suncoast, where so many of us watch kids step onto buses on busy roads, this one lands hard.
What would you want to see change about school bus stop safety in your community? Let us know.
