Suspect pleads not guilty in crash that killed Hoover High student

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- UPDATE: Lisa Spoors was released from the Fresno County Jail early Thursday morning after posting bond. Their next court date is February 7.

The original story follows below.

The driver charged with murder in the crash that killed a Hoover High School student appeared in court and entered a not guilty plea on Wednesday.

39-year-old Lisa Spoors uses they/them pronouns. They are accused of hitting and killing 15-year-old Rashad Al-Hakim Jr. with their vehicle outside of Hoover High School.

Their bail was originally set at just over $1 million, but the judge decided to set it at $150,000 based on Spoors' financial situations.

Spoors' attorney pointed to their financial situation, having income and expenses as a grad student.

The bail for Spoors was reduced from $1 million to $150,000.

The judge says they are prohibited from driving and they are ordered to surrender their license to the court as soon as possible.

"I think a good reasonable overview of the facts by the judge, he set it at $150,000 dollars, also based primarily on (their) ability to afford bail," Kapetan said

Attorney Roger Bonakdar represents the victim's father.

"The family believes that Spoors is an unmitigated risk to the community-- given the presence of the cocktail of prescription and illegal narcotics which the DA stated was in Spoors' blood stream at the time of the incident," he said.

Ragina Bell, the victim's mother, says she does not agree with the judge's ruling.

"I'm pissed off because it's not fair, I don't care how much this lady makes," Bell said.

She stood outside of court holding picture, still trying to cope with the loss of her son.

"He was a good kid and he didn't deserve for his life to be taken, because it's not fair," Bell said. "I don't care, my son couldn't finish high school, he was only a freshman," Bell said.

Rashad died in October after police say Spoors hit him as he crossed First Street, just outside of school.

The Fresno County District Attorney's Office filed a murder charge against Spoors in late December.

Spoor's Fresno State graduate teaching assistant job has been terminated as a result of the charges.

Police investigators say toxicology tests showed Spoors had both illegal and prescription drugs in her system at the time of the crash.

They have a DUI conviction from 2008, which opened the door to a murder charge in Rashad's death.

Bell says she will continue to fight for justice for her son.

"I don't know how long this is going to take, this is not going to be overnight. My Life, my kids are my life. That's all I had. That's all that kept me going," she cried.

Spoors' next court date is February 7th.