A woman has been jailed after killing a "very special" lady in a fatal hit-and-run. Hivda Altuntop, 21, was sentenced to seven years in prison and was banned from driving for more than six years after she mowed down Penelope Coggan, 73, in Essex after taking cannabis.
Altuntop was driving a silver Vauxhall Astra on April 4, 2021, when she hit the unsuspecting pensioner on Harwich Road. Penelope was tragically pronounced dead at the scene, Essex Live reports.
The driver failed to stop at the scene following the collision but was later detained after she crashed the car further along the street. When arrested, she was found to be in possession of cannabis and a small kitchen knife.
Upon investigation into the crash, officials discovered that the 21-year-old did not own the car that she was driving. On the day of the crash, she had driven it without the owner’s consent. Investigators further discovered that shortly before the fatal crash, Altuntop had consumed cannabis.
She was charged but denied all counts, including charges of aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, possession of a bladed article and possession of cannabis. A jury convicted her on them all.
She was found guilty of another eight offences relating to two incidents that occurred on March 18 and April 24, 2022. Following sentencing, Sergeant Alex Black and DC Edward Gosling, from Essex Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Penelope Coggan had only recently moved back to the area with her husband to be closer to her family.
“She should be enjoying life, making most of the fact she lived in the same road as her two sons. But, sadly, all that has been taken away by one person’s reckless actions.
“Hivda Altuntop drove dangerously, having no regard for the safety of others, her behaviour and poor decisions led to a fatal collision which resulted in the tragic loss of life. She will now spend the foreseeable future behind bars as a result.”
Penelope’s husband, Richard, paid tribute to his wife saying she was “a delightful person and as a mother, always happy, selfless, engaging and thoughtful, supportive and practical."
Mr Coggan said: “We wanted to come back and enjoy our family while in our 70s, while we could. Two of our sons live in the same road! Penny was an avid horse lover and book reader - a very special lady, so missed by us all and our friends.”
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