A driver described as “careless” has been sentenced to one year in prison after fatally striking a woman who was on her way to a Take That concert.
Fiona Hodge, 69, had previously denied responsibility for the death of 53-year-old Donna Crossman, who was hit by her car in June 2024 while walking toward Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol.
However, video evidence showed Hodge’s red Citroen veering onto the pavement, narrowly missing two of Donna’s friends before hitting her and crashing into railings, causing her to fall from the bridge.
Police had earlier released footage of Hodge’s first account, in which she told officers she had been driving into Bristol with friends along the A370 Brunel Way after returning from a walk in the Mendips.
She said traffic was light and insisted she had been driving within the speed limit.
In the footage, Hodge admitted she had “lost her concentration,” describing the incident as a “very nasty accident.”
Ms Crossman died as a result of her ‘catastrophic injuries’, jurors were previously told. Her family arrived in Bristol at around 10.30pm and their daughter died at around midnight.
Hodge, from St Werburghs, Bristol, was found guilty in April by a jury at Bristol Crown Court of causing death by careless driving.
Fiona Hodge, 69, who killed a woman on her way to a Take That concert, has been jailed for one year
Donna Crossman, 53, was hit by Hodge’s car in the evening of June 2024 as she walked to Bristol’s Ashton Gate Stadium
The court heard Hodge tested negative for drink and drugs in the aftermath of the crash.
She returned to court on Monday and was sentenced to one year in prison and ordered to pay more than £3,000 in legal costs.
Hodge was also banned from driving for two and a half years.
After the fatal crash, the victim, who was from Bridgend in Wales, was taken to Southmead Hospital but sadly died as a result of her injuries the following day.
A number of witnesses gave evidence during the trial, including friends of the defendant, as well as two independent witnesses who were driving a separate car when they saw a red car ‘swerving between lanes in front of them’.
In a statement read out in court, Donna’s mother, Annette Price, spoke of losing her ‘much-loved’ daughter.
She wrote: ‘Although Donna was a grown woman, she was our child, our flesh and blood. Nothing can prepare you for the death of a child at whatever age.
‘From the day she was born and throughout her life, she brought us so much joy. Donna’s life was not insignificant.’
The mother spoke of her daughter’s time working at RAF stations around the world, including Italy, the Falkland Islands and the Pentagon.
She went on to work for the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and working with the Phoenix Fire Cadets. She was also a team manager for the Wales Women’s Rugby Team and the Welsh Netball Team.
Hodge was also ordered to pay more than £3,000 in legal costs and banned from driving for two and a half years. Pictured: Hodge arriving at Bristol Crown Court on April 13
Mrs Crossman finished by saying: ‘She was a truly amazing woman. To us, her family, she was our rock. Someone we relied on, so grateful in the knowledge she would be there for us in our later years.
‘Over time, a role reversal had taken place, she was the mother figure taking care of us. Our carer, our driver, our voice of reason, her amazing ability to put things in perspective and to help solve problems. Wiped out in an instant of carelessness.
‘The moment her heart stopped beating, our lives shattered into a million pieces. Never to be whole again. The shockwaves affecting the lives of her family, friends and colleagues, who like us, are still traumatised by her loss.’
Donna’s parents also spoke after the sentencing.
They said: ‘Having now heard the sentencing of Fiona Hodge for her careless driving and the killing of our wonderful daughter Donna, it brings a conclusion to the two-year fight for justice for her.
‘Whatever the sentence was, it will not bring our beloved daughter back, but it goes some way to righting a wrong and prove the British legal system works.
‘Perhaps we can now take time to grieve properly.’
Investigating Officer Noelie Poupard from the Serious Collision Investigation Team said: ‘No sentence can undo the devastating loss suffered by Donna’s family, who described her as the rock of their family and whose lives were changed forever by this collision.
‘For more than two years they have waited with remarkable strength, dignity and patience for this case to conclude. Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the consequences of Hodge’s actions and provides a measure of accountability for what happened.
‘Our thoughts remain with Donna’s loved ones, and I hope that the conclusion of these proceedings allows them to begin to move forward, knowing that justice has now been delivered.’
