Sandra Cooper, 85, prepares to exit a Kanawha County courtroom with her attorney Mark Atkinson after being sentenced for a 2022 crash that killed Danny Bonham.
An 85-year-old woman was sentenced to six months of home confinement and five years of probation Wednesday for hitting and killing a pedestrian with her car in February 2022.
Sandra Cooper, 85, prepares to exit a Kanawha County courtroom with her attorney Mark Atkinson after being sentenced for a 2022 crash that killed Danny Bonham.
ASHLEY PERHAM | Gazette-Mail
Sandra Zorina Cooper of Charleston pleaded guilty previously to the misdemeanor offense of reckless driving. She was charged with the felony of leaving the scene of a crash that results in death.
According to Kanawha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey, a Charleston police officer reported that the death of Danny Bonham, 64, of Rand, was a direct result of Cooper’s driving her Toyota Corolla above the 15 mph speed limit and failing to yield to Bonham.
Monica Schwartz, Kanawha County assistant prosecuting attorney, said Bonham was leaving the combined Kanawha City Tennis Indoor Center and Maverick Gym at 3510 Venable Ave.
Statements
Bonham’s family did not speak at the sentencing hearing. His step-daughter, Dayna Johnson, wrote a letter to Bailey. Bailey read part of the letter aloud.
“ We lost a father, a husband, a grandfather, a mechanic, a handyman, hunter, fisherman, and teacher with this death,†Johnson wrote.
Cooper read a statement and apologized for the crash.
“I would very much like to change things if at all possible, but that’s not possible,†she read. “My life has been turned upside down since that day, and I have lived with this every day of my life, and I have to continue dealing with this … I hope that somewhere along the line, I just pray that this family will be able to forgive me for what happened.â€
Sentence
Both Cooper’s attorney Mark Atkinson and Schwartz asked for a sentence of home confinement.
Bailey pointed out that Cooper is 85 with several health problems. She said taxpayers would have to pay for her stay at the overcrowded South Central Regional Jail and her medical care while she was in jail.
“I believe the public good does require that I offer … some punitive action by this court that restricts Miss Cooper’s liberty, but I don’t find that incarceration is going to be helpful,†she said.
She sentenced Cooper to six months of strict home confinement, although she is allowed to leave for work. She will be on probation for the maximum five years.
She also ordered Cooper to pay the maximum $1,000 fine and $2,146.91 in restitution for Bonham’s funeral expenses.
Cooper is also prohibited from driving or owning a motor vehicle.
“There’s no reason for her to own a motor vehicle of any sort or to ever operate a motor vehicle,†Bailey said. “I don’t believe that she had any business operating a motor vehicle on the night this gentleman was killed.â€
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