No bond for driver charged in death of Douglas County teen

By Angel K. Brooks and Mike Morris

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A Douglasville woman arrested and charged with allegedly striking and killing a 17-year-old who stepped off a school bus and into the path of her car made her first court appearance Thursday morning.

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Brandy Hart, 17, of Douglasville, died after being struck by a vehicle Tuesday after getting off a school bus.

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Channel 2 Action News Brandy Hart had exited the bus and was on Cedar Mountain Road near Dorris Road in Douglas County when she was hit, authorities said.

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No bond was set for 51-year-old Shirley Barker McManners, who is charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, reckless driving and failing to stop for a school bus that had activated its red lights and stop arm. McManners, who sobbed throughout Thursday morning's hearing, will remain in the Douglas County Jail until a later court date.

Several of the woman's co-workers and other supporters who filled four rows of courtroom benches were also sobbing, as were family members of the teen McManners is accused of hitting and killing, Channel 2 Action News reported.

"The court is concerned with the mental status of this client, and as a result, the court is declining to set bond at this time," District Attorney David McDade told Channel 2.

The incident occurred around 7 p.m. Tuesday on Cedar Mountain Road near Dorris Road in Douglas County, Georgia State Patrol spokesman Gordy Wright said.

Brandy Hart, 17, had exited the bus and was crossing the road when she was hit by a vehicle driven by McManners, Wright said. The school bus was stopped with its red lights activated at the time of the incident, he said.

Investigators told Channel 2 Action News that witnesses tried to help Hart. They questioned the witnesses and McManners, who stopped at the scene, the report said.

Brandy was transported to WellStar Douglas General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Douglas County Sheriff Phil Miller told Channel 2 the student was returning home from an after-school event when she was killed.

McManners was in the Douglas County jail  Wednesday night and is scheduled to make her first court appearance Thursday, Channel 2 reported.

Brandy's mother, Mary Carolyn Hart-Springer, told the station that her faith gives her strength not to hold a grudge against the driver.

"I can say in my heart that I don't have anything against the driver that killed my child," she said.

Now Hart-Springer is making plans to bury one of her daughters. Brandy has two older sisters and two younger brothers, the report said.

"She was loved. She was very loved," Brandy's mother said.

Brandy's funeral will be Saturday at the First Baptist Church in Carrollton, Channel 2 said.