Driver who failed to stop at scene of fatal e-scooter crash spared jail

A woman who failed to stop at the scene of a crash that killed two children riding an e-scooter has been spared jail.

Deimante Ziobryte, 21, who three weeks ago gave birth to a daughter, was sentenced to three months in prison, suspended for 12 months, at Basilton Magistrates' Court.

Roman Casselden, 16, and his sister, Darcie Casselden, nine, were pronounced dead at the scene in Ashlyns, Pitsea, Essex, on 1 February last year.

Jasmin Akter, prosecuting, said the crash happened as the children were approaching a junction on an e-scooter and Ziobryte's vehicle collided with them.

"There's CCTV evidence that shows the defendant stops away from the scene," she said.

Ziobryte made calls to her brother and partner but did not call emergency services or return to the scene, she added.

Hulusi Ali, mitigating, said: "This was a panic-driven failure in the aftermath of a catastrophic event."

He read a letter from Ziobryte in which she said she wanted to express "my sincere remorse".

"I've relived the events every day and I know I will carry the weight of these events with me for the rest of my life," she added.

Mr Ali said Ziobryte "accepts she should have stopped immediately, she accepts she should have contacted the emergency services".

Police found her in her vehicle nearby, he said, and "she admitted to the police at the scene" about her involvement.

Mr Ali said "the prosecution concluded she wasn't the cause of the accident".

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Mother says crash 'ruined my life'

In victim impact statements read out to the court, the children's mother, Emma Keeling, said she had "sleepless nights every night" and the crash had "ruined my life". "I will never be the same person again because of it," she added.

Their father, Alec Casselden, said he had "nightmares of them lying in the road alone", adding: "Why would she leave two children to die and drive off?"

At an earlier hearing, Ziobryte pleaded guilty to failing to stop at the scene of a collision.

The hearing was told she swerved her Audi A1 to try to avoid a collision "but unfortunately they made contact and the two youths on the e-scooter have suffered fatal injuries as a result".

'Lucky' other people did stop

Deputy district judge Jennifer Twite said it was "impossible to imagine the grief that Darcie and Roman's parents are going through".

"I've no doubt their suffering was increased knowing you didn't stop at the scene of the accident," she told Ziobryte.

She said it was "lucky in this case that other people did stop but that's not guaranteed".

She noted Ziobryte's previous good character, her early guilty plea, and that she had recently given birth.

In addition to the suspended prison sentence, she ordered that Ziobryte, of Benfleet, Essex, complete 80 hours of unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days, and pay a total of £239 in costs and victim surcharge.

She also banned her from driving for three years, but Mr Ali said Ziobryte "doesn't want to drive a motor vehicle ever again".

(c) Sky News 2026: Driver who failed to stop at scene of fatal e-scooter crash spared jail