LEE COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) — The woman charged in a wrong-way crash that killed a mother and two children on Highway 82 pleaded not guilty during her first court appearance Thursday, Aug. 6, morning at 10 a.m.

Sherita Goddard, 41, entered the plea through her attorney during an arraignment hearing at the Lee County Courthouse. Goddard was arrested on Jan. 26 following the fatal January crash. She faces multiple charges, including three counts of first-degree vehicular homicide, felony cruelty to children and driving under the influence.

🔽 View a full list of Goddard’s charges below 🔽

The grieving family of the victims said sitting just feet away from Goddard inside the courtroom was an agonizing experience.

“From the day we got the call until now, she’s still walking free,” said Octavia Amos, the oldest sister of victim Bernerdine Davis-Spann. “But you get to tell her she gets to go home. Twice, she gets to go home. She took three lives. Homicide. Vehicular homicide. And I don’t see any accountability anywhere. We want accountability, and we want it now.”

A painful ‘new normal’

The crash occurred on Jan. 14, when investigators say Goddard was driving under the influence on the wrong side of US-82. Goddard’s vehicle reportedly collided head-on with an oncoming car.

The impact killed 32-year-old Bernerdine Davis-Spann, 13-year-old Ja’Leah Spann and 7-year-old Jaxton Spann, who was hospitalized for several days after the crash. Another child inside the vehicle survived the wreck.

The family said the pain of their loss was magnified earlier this week when the 2026-2027 school year started, requiring the surviving child to return to class without his mother and siblings.

“[Goddard] got to dress her kids and send them off with love,” Amos said. “We had to send LJ to school by himself without his siblings. And she still gets to walk free.”

Tymisha Spann, Bernerdine’s sister-in-law, described Bernerdine as a dedicated mother who lived for her children.

“My sister would have never left her kids on purpose. She was a mother. She was a mama. A real mama. Her kids were her life,” Tymisha Spann said. “Today, all of us came to get justice, and we got nothing, and [Goddard] still got to go home to her kids. That’s not fair.”

Pushing for maximum accountability

Following the brief arraignment hearing, the judge allowed Goddard to leave the courthouse. She remains free on bond while the case moves through the court system.

The family stated that seeing Goddard leave with what they described as a “smile and a smirk” made the courtroom experience even more difficult.

However, they said they will not stop attending hearings, sharing petitions or demanding a tough sentence.

“They took our peace. [Goddard] took pieces of us,” Amos said. “Our blood is on her hands—not only one, but three. With that being said, there won’t be peace, so we’re just praying for justice.”

Goddard’s case will now move forward with several upcoming hearings scheduled in the coming months.

Charges from the January crash

Goddard was arrested by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) on Jan. 26. She faces the following charges, according to the sheriff’s office:

• Homicide by Vehicle in First Degree (3 counts)
• Endangering a Child by Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs
• Cruelty to Children 2^nd Degree (felony)
• Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs
• Driving on Wrong Side of Roadway
• Safety Belt Required
• Open Container

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