Woman suffering from seizures is on trial for killing student in car accident

Bobbie Hills wiped her eyes with a tissue Friday as her mother told a judge about the seizures her daughter suffers."She just stops and stares," Arlene Hawks testified. "I shake her and keep calling her name."

Orange Circuit Judge Thomas Turner decided Friday that those seizures are not going to stop Hills, 44, from standing trial for the death of a 14-year-old Olympia High School student. Turner ruled that Hills is competent to face a jury for vehicular homicide, manslaughter and driving with a suspended drivers license.

Authorities said Hills, a former school custodian, suffered a seizure Jan. 5, 2005, while driving a Chevrolet Suburban on south Hiawassee Road near Cantrell Court.The sport utility vehicle slammed into Gaston Roy Johnson Jr. just after the Olympia High freshman stepped off a school bus near his southwest Orlando home.

The vehicle stopped by crashing through a concrete-block wall.Roy was killed instantly, authorities said.At the time of the crash, Hills' license had been suspended because of a medical condition. She lost her license after a 2003 crash in which she had a seizure and drove into woods off John Young Parkway at 55 mph.Hills' attorney, James Sweeting III, said her seizures will affect her defense.

The seizures can come on without warning and cause her to be catatonic.In preparation for Friday's hearing, three court-appointed doctors evaluated Hills and issued reports to the judge. Two agreed that she is competent to stand trial, and the third found her not competent.Assistant State Attorney Pamela Davis said if Hills suffers a seizure during trial, the court can take a break until she feels better. Davis offered to arrange for a doctor to stand by if needed.The judge agreed with her suggestion.No trial date has been set.