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A tragic incident in downtown Richmond has claimed the life of a young Virginia magazine editor, Hope Cartwright, in what authorities are calling a hit-and-run. Richmond police have confirmed the incident.
Cartwright, just 23 years old, was an associate editor at Virginia Living, a popular publication in the state. The magazine’s publisher, John-Lawrence Smith, shared the heartbreaking news, explaining that the young editor lost her life on Monday, February 16.
In a heartfelt Facebook post, Smith expressed his deep sorrow, stating, “It is with profound sorrow that I write to you today with devastating news. Hope was all of 23 years old—gifted, dedicated, and one of the most talented members of the Virginia Living team.”
Smith went on to reflect on Cartwright’s promising future, saying, “She stood at the threshold of what would have been a remarkable career, and her absence leaves a wound that words cannot adequately express.”
Latesha Coleman, 41, has been charged with felony hit-and-run in connection with the incident. The Virginia Living community mourns the loss of a vibrant and talented young professional whose potential was cut tragically short.
According to the Richmond, Virginia Police Department, authorities were called to the intersection around 5:34 p.m. Monday and found Cartwright unresponsive. She was transported to a hospital where she died.
Using traffic camera footage and data from Flock Automatic License Plate Readers, authorities determined that a vehicle making a left turn struck her and fled before officers arrived. According to police, analysts in the RPD Capital City Intelligence Center identified the vehicle and its registered owner, identified as Latesha Coleman, 41, within an hour.
Coleman is charged with felony hit-and-run in connection to the crash. Her next court appearance is March 10.
Latesha Coleman, 41, of Richmond, has been charged with felony hit-and-run. (Richmond, Virginia Police Department)
On Wednesday, according to WTVR-TV, the Commonwealth’s Attorney urged the judge to deny bond citing Coleman’s criminal history of drug possession and selling convictions, petit larceny conviction, and several failures to appear dating back to 2002.
She was more than halfway through the intersection, they said.
“[Hope] did everything she was supposed to,” the prosecution told the judge.
According to the outlet, the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office said that the video allegedly shows Coleman briefly slowing down after impact before driving off.
Hope Cartwright smiling in an Instagram photo. The 23-year-old was killed in a hit-and-run in Richmond. (Hope Cartwright/Instagram)
They also said, according to WTVR-TV, that Coleman told detectives she thought she hit a curb and that investigators “noticed an odor of alcohol.”
But the prosecutor said that there are no curbs or medians anywhere near the middle of the intersection where Cartwright was struck. They also said Coleman was driving on a suspended license but at one point did have a CDL license.