RICHMOND, Va. — Hope Cartwright, a 23-year-old associate editor at Virginia Living magazine, was hit and killed as she walked across Cary and 2nd streets in downtown Richmond on Monday evening, Virginia Living publisher John-Lawrence Smith confirmed Tuesday. The Virginia Living offices are located on the same block where Cartwright was killed.
"It is with profound sorrow that I write to you today with devastating news," Smith wrote in an email to subscribers. "[Hope was] gifted, dedicated, and one of the most talented members of the Virginia Living team. She stood at the threshold of what would have been a remarkable career, and her absence leaves a wound that words cannot adequately express."
"We ask that you hold Hope and her family in your hearts during this unimaginably difficult time," Smith continued. "She was deeply loved by all who had the privilege of knowing her, and she will always be remembered."
Richmond police, who have not yet identified the victim, said Fourth Precinct officers were called to the intersection around 5:34 p.m. Monday and found a woman down and unresponsive in the northbound lanes of 2nd Street. She was transported to a hospital where she died.
Investigators determined she was crossing eastbound in the crosswalk when a vehicle making a left turn from East Cary Street struck her. The driver fled before officers arrived.
Using traffic camera footage and data from Flock Automatic License Plate Readers, analysts in the RPD Capital City Intelligence Center identified the striking vehicle and its registered owner within an hour.
First Precinct officers located the parked truck and contacted the owner, Latesha Coleman, 41, of Richmond. Coleman has been charged with felony hit-and-run. A booking photo has not yet been released.
“This is an excellent example of good police work from Fourth and First precinct officers and Crash Team investigators, aided by CCIC and the narrow, sharp focus of Flock technology to produce a rapid arrest for this tragic collision,” Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said.
Ari Abad, who lives near the intersection, said her Ring doorbell camera captured the crash. She described the vehicle as turning slowly while Cartwright walked deliberately through the crosswalk with the pedestrian signal.
"I think if you’re turning left and the pedestrian light is on, then you have to take a look,” Abad said. “I don’t know if they were on their phone or looking elsewhere — to me it seemed nearly impossible to miss the pedestrian."
Abad and her husband installed their security camera due to safety concerns at the busy intersection, which she says sees frequent accidents. She said her heart goes out to the victim’s family and hopes such tragedies can be prevented in the future.
The incident adds to Richmond’s growing pedestrian safety concerns. In early January, Mayor Danny Avula announced a series of actions to improve safety as part of his Vision Zero response following the deaths of six pedestrians over a three-week period. In 2025, 13 pedestrians were killed in traffic-related incidents.
Anyone with additional information is asked to call RPD Crash Team Detective Quinn at 804-646-6190 or Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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