RICHMOND, Va. — A 23-year-old magazine editor was struck and killed by a driver while crossing a downtown Richmond street Monday, leaving colleagues and the community mourning the loss of a promising young journalist.
Hope Cartwright, an editor at Virginia Living Magazine, was walking across Cary and 2nd Street after leaving work when she was hit. The driver fled the scene but was quickly apprehended by Richmond police.
Local News
Virginia Living magazine editor killed crossing Richmond street; driver charged
"I just can't fathom it. Here one day, and boom, gone the next," said Madeline Mayhood, editor in chief at Virginia Living Magazine.
Mayhood described Cartwright as exceptionally talented and dedicated to her craft.
"Twenty-three years old and brilliant, absolutely brilliant," Mayhood said. "Nothing she touched wasn't almost perfection."
Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said officers found the suspect's vehicle within an hour of the incident with the use of technology including license plate readers and traffic camera footage.
"We found the vehicle, started conducting investigation, talking to individuals and based upon that, we were able to make a quick arrest," Edwards said.
Police arrested 41-year-old Latesha Coleman at her residence on Hillside Court, where she had gone after the collision. Coleman has been charged with felony hit-and-run in connection to the incident.
Cartwright, a Michigan native, had worked at Virginia Living Magazine for two years and was excited to make Richmond her home.
"I'm still expecting a call that it was all a mistake, because it was just so sudden," Mayhood said.
The tragedy adds to Richmond's growing pedestrian safety concerns. Last month, Mayor Danny Avula announced his plan to improve pedestrian safety following the deaths of six pedestrians over a three-week period.
Avula released a statement saying, "My heart is heavy as I mourn another life lost on our streets killed by a driver. Every tragedy is a stark reminder that safety must come first. I'm fully committed to preventing these senseless deaths and making Richmond's streets safe for all."
Cartwright's latest work will be published in Thursday's magazine issue. Virginia Living Magazine plans to dedicate her piece in memory of her life.
"We'll just miss her everyday, and we're all trying to wrap our heads around this," Mayhood said.
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