Fiona Hodge, 69, told police she had been involved in 'a very nasty accident' but 'did not know why she lost her concentration' after killing a woman heading to a Take That concert. The pensioner was found guilty of causing death by careless driving at Bristol Crown Court on Monday.
Hodge struck Donna Crossman, 53, as she walked with friends to a Take That concert at Ashton Gate stadium in Bristol on June 9, 2024. The victim died in hospital the following day from injuries sustained when Hodge mounted the pavement in her red Citroen on the A370 Brunel Way, knocking her off a bridge.
In police footage played to the court, Hodge told officers the road 'was not busy' and she was driving 'within the speed limit' before losing concentration. She said: 'I was chatting to my friends and I mounted the pavement and hit a person — it was very quick. I didn't really see the person.'
Hodge, from St Werburghs, Bristol, had been returning from a walk in the Mendips with friends. Two independent witnesses reported seeing a red car 'swerving between lanes' before the crash.
Investigating Officer Noelie Poupard from Avon and Somerset Police said: 'This was an incredibly tragic incident which resulted in the death of a much-loved daughter, wife and friend. It was the defence's case that Hodge had suffered an epileptic seizure, however the jury rejected this idea and felt her lack of care and attention caused Mrs Crossman's death.'
Hodge will be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court at a later date. Mrs Crossman, a dedicated netball coach from Bridgend, south Wales, was remembered by her family as a 'much-loved daughter, wife and friend'.
