Corey Cooper: Teen crashes car killing Joshua Atkins one day after passing test
The young man who killed his passenger on the day he got his driver’s license went to prison.
Corey Cooper, then 17, killed his friend Joshua Atkins, also 17, in a horrific car crash in Sheffield on November 11, 2023.
Cooper lost control of his Fiat car and crashed into the metal fence on Myers Grove Lane in Stannington.
He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Joshua and dangerous driving causing serial injury to an unnamed second passenger.
In court, police played footage showing Cooper driving at 85km/h in a 30km/h zone, with the dashboard “lit up like a Christmas tree”.
Joshua suffered serious injuries to his spine and brain and although he was taken to hospital, he could not be saved.
His family decided to donate his organs. The boy’s heart went to a man in his 40s, his liver went to a man in his 50s, and his kidneys went to a man and woman in their 20s.
The second passenger was seriously injured in the accident but survived.
In his statement read in court, the second passenger said the accident would haunt him for the rest of his life.
“Every lost dream, every night I couldn’t sleep, and every tear shed for my best friend Joshua could have been prevented.”
Cooper was sentenced to five years in prison.
Inspector Kieran Frain said the community’s thoughts “go out to Josh’s family and everyone who loved him”.
“While it is hoped that today’s sentencing will bring closure to Josh’s family and end the two-year investigation, it will not bring Josh back. On November 11, 2023, the lives of three families changed forever.
“Corey was a 17-year-old boy at the time of the collision, and although he did not set out to kill anyone that evening, he did so out of immaturity, lack of responsibility and increased risk-taking.
“Young drivers often feel invincible. With their newfound sense of freedom, they sometimes overlook the serious responsibility that comes with driving. Driving on public roads is not a right, it is a privilege and carries a duty to protect not only yourself, but also your passengers and everyone around you. One bad decision you make behind the wheel can change your life and your future in an instant. That’s exactly what happened in this case.
“I would urge any young driver or parent of a young person who is currently taking lessons or has recently passed their test to talk to them and reiterate how their life can change; be a role model.”
