Nassau Woman Sentenced For Driving Into Crowd And Killing One

A Hempstead woman was sentenced to 17 years in jail on Tuesday for driving into a group of people in 2016, which killed one person and severely injured others.

Shania Buchanan, 24, was convicted in February of manslaughter for the incident. Her conviction came after a four-week-long trial.

“The jury found Buchanan drove wildly through Nassau County streets to join a neighborhood brawl, killing Barbara Reid and severely injuring Betty Sanders and Jose Mena in the process,” said District Attorney Madeline Singas. “I hope today’s sentence will stand as a reminder that this office will not tolerate the taking of innocent lives by selfish, criminally reckless drivers.”

On April 20, 2016 at 5 p.m., Buchanan drove through a crowd of people standing just off the curb on Linden Avenue in Hempstead, killing 56-year-old Barbara Reid and seriously injuring 45-year-old Betty Sanders and 60-year-old Jose Mena. Buchanan was recklessly driving in the area, where her mother was involved in a fight with another woman. A crowd of 40 to 50 people, including Reid, gathered to watch the fight.

Buchanan was driving between 60 and 70 miles an hour as she accelerated toward the crowd, first hitting Sanders and then Mena, who was on his bicycle. Buchanan's 1999 Nissan Pathfinder then hit Reid, ultimately killing her. Mena suffered spinal fractures and the force of the impact snapped Sander's femur and caused muscular damage that will cause her to limp for the rest of her life. Buchanan was arrested June 9, 2016 by Nassau County police.

Buchanan was convicted of first-, second- and third-degree assault, second-degree manslaughter, first-degree reckless endangerment and reckless driving.

Photo: Nassau County District Attorney's Office