A Florida man who was driving without a valid license when he struck six children, killing three, asked the court for compassion before receiving a 73-year prison sentence.
The deadly crash happened on December 27, 2021, when Sean Greer, then 27, drove onto a sidewalk in Wilton Manors, just north of Fort Lauderdale, while trying to pass a bus that was merging back into traffic after dropping off a passenger.
Greer’s gray 2009 Honda Accord plowed into a group of six children. Paris Jones, 5, and Andrea Fleming, 6, died at the scene.
A third child, 9-year-old Laziyah “Minnie” Stukes, succumbed to her injuries nearly seven months later, in July 2022. Greer left the scene immediately after the collision, without calling for help or attempting to assist the injured children.
The three surviving children — Audre Fleming, Draya Fleming and Johnathan Carter — were relatives of those killed. They had been walking from a park to a nearby family member’s home when they were hit.
In February, Greer entered a no contest plea to 15 felony counts, including three counts apiece of vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a crash involving death, and leaving the scene of an accident involving serious bodily injury.
Court records from Broward County show he had initially faced 26 charges. Seven of them were tied to allegations that he had been driving despite a license suspension dating back to 2016.
During Thursday’s sentencing hearing, Greer, now 32, offered an apology to the victims’ families. “I do want you to understand, I was on my way home from Walmart with a bag of groceries. In no way, shape or form did I wake up that morning and said I’m gonna go run some kids down,” he said.
Sean Greer, 32, has been sentenced to 73 years in prison for running over six children in Florida in 2021, killing three of them. He is pictured apologizing in court
Among Greer’s victims was nine-year-old Laziyah ‘Minnie’ Stukes. She died from her injuries almost seven months after the crash
Six-year-old Andrea Flemming was one of the other victims. She died immediately after being struck by Greer’s 2009 Honda Accord in December 2021
Five-year-old Paris Jones was Greer’s third victim. She also died immediately after being struck by the vehicle. The children were all on a sidewalk
‘I’m so sorry. What I need you to understand it was just an accident. I was on probation for burglary… I want you to know I’m sorry. I just want you all to have peace,’ Greer continued per the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
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The killer driver’s sister, Jessica Greer, appeared in court over Zoom and attempted to build sympathy for her brother.
‘He was willing to take his life that day,’ she said before explaining that the siblings had a difficult upbringing.
‘By the time I was six we were in the foster care system because my mom was in jail and my father was nowhere to be found,’ the sister said.
But the families of the victims were unfazed and called for their children’s killer to be punished harshly.
‘No one cares about your upbringing,’ said Devera Stukes, the mother of nine-year-old Laziyah ‘Minnie’ Stukes, according to WPLG. ‘Our children were not on Powerline Road but on the sidewalk.’
‘I was going to forgive you, man, but I can’t. I can’t forgive after what you took from me,’ said Gregory Holcomb, grandfather of six-year-old Andrea Fleming.
‘You killed those kids, my baby, and you left them in the street,’ said Tyricka Williams, the mother of Andrea Fleming.
Greer was originally faced 26 charges before pleading no contest to 15 of them. His mugshot is pictured
Paris Jones is pictured on her fourth birthday. The families of the victims urged the judge to give Greer a harsh sentence
Tyricka Williams, the mother of Andrea Fleming, refused to forgive Greer in court. ‘You killed those kids, my baby, and you left them in the street,’ she said
Greer’s defense asked that their client be sentenced to 35 years in prison, while prosecutors asked for a sentence of at least 48 years.
After hearing both sides, Judge Andrew Siegel sentenced Greer to a dozen concurrent 48-year terms for the leaving the scene of a fatal accident and vehicular homicide charges.
He also sentenced Greer to a consecutive 25-year term for one of his leaving the scene charges, for a total of 73 years behind bars.
Greer had also been sentenced to 35 years in prison for violating probation on the burglary case he mentioned in court. That sentence will also run concurrently with the other terms.
Siegel said he believed Greer’s apology and that his regret was legitimate, though the judge determined that was not enough to warrant a lighter sentence.
