Kelowna Woman Blames Potholes in Fatal Hit and Run

The woman facing one charge under the motor vehicle act took the stand Thursday in Kelowna Provincial Court, stating she never saw the woman she hit.

Sharon Scott, 72, is charged with driving without due care and attention, after she fatally struck 83-year-old Julie Gillespie on November 23rd, 2014. Gillespie was walking home alone from an evening at the Delta Grand Hotel Casino, and was wearing dark clothing at the time of the incident.

At the time, Scott was an independent contract deliver for the Daily Courier newspaper. She was driving her 2003 Toyota Matrix to work in the early morning hours of November 23rd, when she hit Gillespie.

During her testimony, Scott said she was travelling east on Doyle Avenue just before 1:00 a.m., then made a left-hand turn into the alleyway behind the Daily Courier building where she picks up the papers to be delivered. Prior to making her left-hand turn, Scott said she was travelling slowly, and did not see Gillespie.

Scott, who has been employed by the paper since 2002, described the alleyway she turned into as “bumpy,” with the road containing several potholes. During the night in question, Scott explained because the alleyway was always uneven to drive on, it was not unusual for her car to travel over bumps.

The 72-year-old said the road along Doyle Avenue was minimally lit, but as soon as she made her turn into the alleyway, she was in darkness, except for the high beam lights from her car.

A nurse for 29 years, an emotional Scott said had she known she had hit someone, she would have stopped to help.

Gillespie was found by another driver from the Daily Courier a short time later with serious injures. She was rushed to hospital and later died.

Under cross examination, Crown questioned whether Scott made a complete sweep of her surroundings before making her left-turn, arguing if Scott had looked left, right and behind her, she would have seen Gillespie. Crown also showed photos of a streetlamp on at the mouth of the alley, which would have lit the area, as well as photos showing the alleyway potholes beginning a few meters past the sidewalk where Gillespie was struck.

Scott is not facing criminal charges, because lawyers previously determined there was lack of intent.

The trial is expected to wrap-up Thursday afternoon.