05/05/11……Driver sentenced for causing death of Thame teacher

A 73-year-old woman has been sentenced for causing the death of Thame teacher, Ellie Bongers and her young son, in a collision in Tackley, Oxfordshire.

Sally Rundle, of Oxford Road, Bodicote, was sentenced to 12-months imprisonment, suspended for two years, at Oxford Crown Court today (5/5), after admitting two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

Rundle was driving a Renault Clio along the A4260 at about 4.20pm on December 20, 2009, when she veered across the carriageway and crashed head-on into a Ford KA, which was being driven by Richard Gipps, who was in the car with his 33-year-old partner Eleanor Bongers and their son Joseph, who was aged 15 months.

On impact, the Ford KA caught on fire and Mr Gipps, along with members of the public, managed to free his wife and son from the car. Eleanor was only freed from the car moments before it burnt out.

The court heard that the actions of Mr Gipps and the members of the public gave Eleanor and Joseph the best chance of surviving, but Eleanor died on Christmas Eve and Joseph died on 5 May 2010 (aged 19 months).

The investigation into the crash was carried out by the Thames Valley Police Road Death Investigation Team, led by PC Dave Mitchell and Sgt Jack Hawkins, which resulted in Rundle being charged in September 2010.

At today?s sentencing hearing, Judge Mowat said the effect of the loss of loved ones upon a family was obvious, and that no penalty could recompense this.

In addition to the suspended prison term, Rundle was also sentenced to 150 hours unpaid work and a lifetime ban from driving.