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Teen Driver, Mother Arrested In Hit And Run Death Of 12-Year Old
April 23, 2016
A 17-year old driver and her mother have been arrested for the hit and run death of 12-year old Devon Spencer last February in East Brewton, AL.
Donnavia Zandra Williams was arrested Friday for manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident with injuries, failure to report an accident with injuries, and assault. She was being held in the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center in Brewton with bond set at $150,000.
Her mother, Jennifer Lynn Moody Williams was arrested for failure to report an accident with injuries and booked into the Escambia County (AL) Detention Center with bond set at $150,000.
Both were indicted by a grand jury on Thursday.
On February 11, Devon Spencer and his friend were walking to school on Williamson Street in East Brewton when they were hit by a car. The friend was not seriously injured, but Devon died a few days later at Sacred Heart Hospital.
Comments
19 Responses to “Teen Driver, Mother Arrested In Hit And Run Death Of 12-Year Old”
I can understand the girl leaving the scene,being young and scared but the mother to cover this up shows how little she thinks of a humans life. Suppose that had happened to her family how would she feel. No bond for her that’s for sure!!!! She is a very sick person to do that.
@Truth Seeker – The reason is as soon as you make the arrest the speedy trial rules kick in. So if they make an early arrest without a solid case the suspect can take an immediate trial date and the prosecutor will have a case without a full investigation to try and get a conviction on. Yes it is horrible for the families to have to wait but a few months on a conviction is much better than an immediate trial on an unprepaired case. Fatal crash investigations take months to complete.
I’m sorry, and no disrespect is intended, but you either missed or avoided my point.
There were multiple witnesses who identified the driver of the vehicle. The Chief as an Officer of the Law should have made an immediate arrest. The District Attorney would have been given evidence to hand over to the Grand Jury who would then decide to indict or not. By your answer one is led to believe that arrests aren’t made without an indictment which we know to not be true.
On March 8th WEAR TV spoke to the victim’s family who at that time had yet to hear anything. On March 10th your own media outlet …North Escambia reported much the same. My point is; was there a reason the family felt the only way to receive justice was to involve the media? If so why? I don’t have a dog in this fight other than as a citizen of this county and a Christian saved by Grace. This family should not have had to suffer unnecessarily.
>>Can someone please explain how it took this long to make arrests
Easy answer….Grand juries in Escambia AL only meet every few months in order to return indictments. They were arrested within 24 hours of the indictments being issued.
Can someone please explain how it took this long to make arrests in this case when there were multiple witness to the car, driver, and her hit and run? The deceased boy’s father stated in an interview recently on a local tv station that he knew who had hit his son “by that afternoon”, (of morning it occurred). I realize that in a small community gossip wheels spin faster, but if the slightest chance exxists then the appropriate State Investigators should be brought in to shed light on this situation. Only then can the E. B. community and most especially the boy’s family feel justice will be served.
I agree SONYA, im a little concerned on why they even have a bond? If me or any1 i was with, hit any1 especially children, the vehicle is stopping and 911 is being called no matter what. Makes ya wonder if they had something to hide. REGARDLESS. ..to run a child over an flee..is plain heartless. The mother deserves to be in jail with NO BOND, and children in families all over her, what kids of mom lets/teaches her child to flee a scene like that!! Prayers for all families and friends involved.
I knew Devon personally cause he was one of my son’s best friend. Devon was a wonderful, smart, funny, and very intelligent young man. I hear people saying this was an accident and I have to disagree with that because if it was an accident why were theretwo children hit and left for dead or where were the 911 call for help? I think that this mother and daughter should be punished to the max. The daughter took a precious life and the mother tried to help cover it up. Justice for Devon needs to be served.
How tragic to leave a child dying in the street and not seek help for him or her!
Some sense of justice for the family hopefully.
Now wondering how it went this long with no arrests.
People had to have known.
Lots of pain and suffering. Prayers for all.
My prayers for all involved in this tragedy…choices were made to leave Devon and his friend at the scene…without help…what could have possibly led Miss. Williams and her Mother, Jennifer Williams to make this choice is beyond me…a young man died …he can’t come back…another young man injured ..he will deal with this tragedy for the rest of his life…so what should the mother and daughter have to FACE because of the choices they made …THEY SHOULD HAVE TO FACE EVERY LAW THAT WAS BROKEN ….AND… THEY SHOULD HAVE TO KNOW EVERY HEART THAT WAS BROKEN …
I wanted to comment earlier on the picture but I didn’t want to appear stupid where you spoke of a female and her mother but this picture depicted had all indications this was a male or I believed it was. I’m glad this was cleared up by someone in the know. This is definitely a tragic situation and they should be punished severely for being so callous in their actions and judgment to leave these young children laying there as if they were animals and this is no way to treat an animal either and then fleeing the scene–despicable. I do not know the scenario in how they were found out about but thanks to who or what agency doing the investigation to indict these two and put both of them where they belong when convicted. GETERDONE.
Thank GOD
>>>What is it that triggers the publication of an arrested persons mugshot and no mugshot published
Alabama….you have to request the mugshot and wait….whereas in the areas we cover in Florida the mugshots are electronically available at any hour.
What is it that triggers the publication of an arrested persons mugshot and no mugshot published?
I’m glad justice is finally being served
praying for all
Terrible tragedy for Devon’s family and friends.
May God continue to watch over and comfort them.
CALLOUS, Hard Hearted and Uncaring are easily applied to the driver and her mother.
How Dare You just leave a young man in the road and drive away?
No defense, No excuses, No reasons.
It’s about time!
Prayers for all. involved
This is tragic and lots of hurt on both sides now