Sheffield, August 5, 2024– The heartache of losing a loved one in a tragic accident was laid bare in Sheffield Crown Court as the family of Sharna Burgin described the profound impact of her untimely death.
Sharna Burgin, 23, a devoted mother to a five-year-old, died in a high-speed collision on the Sheffield Parkway on February 26, 2023. The driver, 25-year-old Leon Roberts, was reportedly speeding at up to 100mph after consuming alcohol and drugs. Despite pleas from passengers to slow down, Roberts continued recklessly until the car struck a taxi parked in a lay-by on the A57 Sheffield Parkway.
Prosecutor Ben Campbell revealed that Roberts fled the scene but later surrendered to the police 16 hours after the crash. Tests confirmed the presence of cocaine, cannabis, and alcohol in his system. Roberts was sentenced to nine years and six months in prison and banned from driving for 14 years and three months.
In the emotional statements shared ahead of Roberts’ sentencing, Sharna’s family painted a picture of the profound loss they have endured. Her mother, Elaine, described the constant agony of reliving the night of the accident. “Every morning when I wake up, I am back in the nightmare of February 26, 2023, all over again,” Elaine said. “The events of that night will haunt me forever… I feel lost and heartbroken from losing our Sharna in such a tragic way.”
Sharna’s father, Matthew, echoed his wife’s grief, stating, “The pain and heartbreak this has caused me is every parent’s worst nightmare, which I have to live with for the rest of my life. This has left a big hole in mine and my family’s lives… I keep hoping to wake up from this nightmare.”
Roads Policing Inspector Matt Collings emphasized the complex reality faced by law enforcement in such cases. “Sadly, our officers all too regularly have to deliver the message to families that their loved one has died in a road traffic collision. It’s the worst part of the job,” Collings said. “To know that someone has lost their life often due to someone else’s selfish actions is devastating… No family deserves to ever go through the unimaginable pain such collisions cause.”
The statements from Sharna’s family, now shared by South Yorkshire Police, aim to raise awareness about the severe emotional toll of road traffic accidents and the importance of road safety.
