Woman sentenced for causing the death of a loving grandmother

A 59-year-old woman has been jailed after her dangerous driving caused the death of a loving grandmother.

On the afternoon of December 13, 2024, Samantha Curtis was driving a blue Ford EcoSport in Talavera Way, Northampton, when she crossed into the opposing carriageway and collided head on with a red Vauxhall Agila.

Inside the Vauxhall was 83-year-old Yvonne Bruce who died at the scene and her grandson Daniel who was seriously injured.

Yvonne, known affectionately to her family as Nanny Tiggy, had only recently moved to Northampton from Essex to be closer to her family.

In his victim personal statement, Daniel wrote: “Moving up here had given her a new lease of life and we were all really enjoying seeing her more and spending quality time with her. I would see her at least once a week; helping her out at home and taking her to the shops. It was so nice having her around.”

At the time of her death, Daniel had been driving his Nanny Tiggy to Aldi for her food shop.

“She was such a clever, hardworking woman with a strong mind,” Yvonne’s daughter Suzanne wrote. “She could be strict at times, but she had a heart of gold. She was incredibly generous, sarcastic, and always ready with a sharp, witty comment. Yet to her grandchildren she was a complete softy - she loved watching them grow and was always there whenever they needed her.

“Whenever funerals came up, she refused to talk about them, saying she wasn’t ready to die - “I’m not going anywhere,” she would say.”

Daniel’s injuries following the collision were extensive - two fractures to his leg which required an operation to fit a metal rod to fix it, a fractured ankle, a deep laceration to his hip, as well as numerous cuts and bruises.

Although he continues to move forward with his recovery, his quality of life has suffered due to the physical and mental scars the collision has left on him.

Curtis, of Bouverie Road, Northampton, was arrested at the scene of the collision and subsequently charged with one count of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

After pleading guilty to the offences at Northampton Crown Court in January, Curtis returned to the same court yesterday (March 23) where she was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for causing the death of Yvonne, and two years and three months in prison for the injuries caused to Daniel, to be served concurrently.

She was also disqualified from driving for eight years and ten months and will need to take an extended re-test.

Lead Investigator - Detective Constable Eleanor Hudson from Northamptonshire Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: “Samantha Curtis’ dangerous driving has caused untold distress to this family who have had to bury their mother, grandmother and great grandmother as a result of it. Daniel also suffers with the injuries caused by this collision over a year later which continue to affect his daily life.

“At the time of the collision, she was taking 17 prescription medications and had various physical and mental ailments so I hope this case serves as a lesson to anyone taking prescription medication - whilst not illegal, prescription drugs can cause inattention and drowsiness, and driving under the influence of them should be treated with great caution.

“This incident demonstrates in tragic detail the consequences of dangerous driving - one minute you are living your life as normal and seconds later you have destroyed a family and are now looking at a custodial sentence.

“Let this case be a lesson to everyone who gets behind the wheel - driving is a privilege and in the wrong hands, a car can kill.

“Finally, I would like to thank Yvonne’s family for their support during our investigation, particularly Daniel who continues to recover from his injuries. My thoughts are with them and I hope the conclusion of this case allows them to start to grieve properly for their beloved Nanny Tiggy.”

Suzanne ended her personal statement by saying: “Our family would also like to thank all the emergency services and the members of the public who stopped to help Mum and Daniel at the scene. We are deeply grateful for their quick actions, their care, and their support throughout the police investigation.”

Numerous members of the public stopped to assist those involved in the collision and during sentencing, Her Honour Judge Crane commended all of those who helped, making a specific and heartfelt acknowledgment to Jessica Woodhouse.

Jessica provided vital support and reassurance to Dan at the scene of the collision, assisted police officers to free Yvonne from the vehicle, and helped with CPR efforts. She spoke gently to Yvonne, offering comfort while emergency crews worked tirelessly to try and save her.

In recognition of her exceptional courage and compassion, Judge Crane awarded Jessica a High Sheriff Award for her actions at the scene. She noted:

“Jessica acted to ensure Yvonne was not alone at her time of death, showing persistence in the most difficult of circumstances.”