Great Oakley: Woman jailed over fatal collision

A woman who caused the death of a ‘selfless’ and ‘very special’ nurse has been jailed following an investigation by specialist officers.

Hivda Altuntop was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving following a trial at Chelmsford Crown court on 23 November last year.

The 21 year-old had been driving a silver Vauxhall Astra when she hit 73 year-old Penelope Coggan in Harwich Road, Great Oakley on 24 April 2021.

Sadly, Penelope died at the scene.

Altuntop failed to stop at the scene but was detained after crashing the car further along the same road.

When she was arrested, officers also found she had cannabis and a small kitchen knife on her.

Through their investigation officers established Altuntop didn’t own the car and she was driving it without the owner’s consent.

Shortly before the collision, she had also consumed cannabis.

She was charged and, in total, was convicted of nine offences including some relating to an incident in March where she had taken a vehicle again without the owners’ consent.

She was convicted of:
• Causing death by dangerous driving;
• Two counts of dangerous driving;
• Two counts of aggravated vehicle taking;
• Assaulting an emergency worker;
• Two counts of possession of a blade or pointed article;
• Possession of a Class B drug;

At Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday (20 January) Altuntop, of High Street, Harwich, was jailed for seven years and banned from driving for six years and 10 months. She has been in custody since April 2021.

Detective Constable Edward Gosling, from our 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.”