HOUSTON – The woman charged in connection with a crash the critically injured a teen appeared before a judge Monday.
What happened:
Chinyere Iheagwam, 56, is accused of speeding and driving recklessly in a school zone and slamming into 18-year-old Anthony Velasquez -- a Hastings High School senior – before hitting another student’s vehicle as school was letting out.
The crash happened around 2:40 p.m. Wednesday near the high school on Cook Road, authorities said.
Investigators said the Alief ISD cafeteria worker was driving around 50 mph in a 20 mph zone when she plowed into the teen. Iheagwam claimed she was only driving 16 mph, according to authorities.
Iheagwam was taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Her bond was set at $30,000.
What did the judge say:
Iheagwam posted bond Thursday and made her first appearance in court Monday.
During court, the judge kept Iheagwam’s bail amount the same, but he added two bond conditions.
Iheagwam will be subjected to random testing for drugs and alcohol and she is not allowed to drive.
Prosecutors argued that Iheagwam is a danger behind the wheel, but defense attorneys stand by their argument that Iheagwam is innocent.
“The evidence will show what happened,” said defense attorney David Rushing. “My client has a presumption of innocence, so she is going to get a fair shake.”
What next:
Iheagwam is scheduled to have a pretrial hearing on Dec. 12. If convicted, she could face up to 20 years behind bars and a $10,000 fine.
Velazquez remains in critical condition. His family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with medical costs.