<p>DURHAM, N.C. — After killing an 89-year-old pedestrian last year, former University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill women’s basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell has appealed her guilty plea and received a more lenient sentence that will allow her to still drive.</p>
<p>Hatchell’s attorney told Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson on Monday that his client couldn’t afford to lose her driver’s license for a year if the conviction were allowed to stand, <a href="https://www.wral.com/former-unc-coach-hatchell-appeals-plea-in-fatal-accident-gets-more-lenient-sentence/19647040/">WRAL-TV reported</a>.</p>
<p>The former coach hit Betty Colby with her car in January 2020, causing Colby to hit her head on the pavement of a parking lot. She died two days later.</p>
<p>Hatchell, 69, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/womens-basketball-sylvia-hatchell-womens-college-basketball-basketball-north-carolina-c3fc89ab9dc7843a33728f8ac8384b71">pleaded guilty in September</a> to misdemeanor death by vehicle and unsafe movement. </p>
<p>She was originally sentenced to 30 days, which was suspended for six months of unsupervised probation. She was also ordered to complete 50 hours of community service, pay a $150 fine and $150 in court costs. </p>
<p>Colby’s daughters said Hatchell never tried to help their mother after hitting her and asked that she be held to her earlier plea and sentence.</p>
<p>“I feel like she’s using her notoriety once again to explain and excuse her behavior, and that’s not OK,” D’Ann Colby said.</p>
<p>But Hudson agreed to grant Hatchell a “prayer for judgment continued.” That means the conviction won’t be on her record, but the court could still pass judgment later if she commits another offense.</p>
<p>“I’m truly sorry for your loss, and I wish I could do something about it. But I feel like I can never satisfy you on what an appropriate judgment can be,” Hudson told Colby’s family.</p>
<p>Hatchell has not had any other driving infractions, her attorney said. After the court hearing, Hatchell said she’s trying to honor Colby’s life moving forward.</p>
<p>Hatchell, the winningest women’s basketball coach in Atlantic Coast Conference History, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/c4ffd43acb904e8cac933cac2162fd3f">resigned in April 2019</a>. An external review found she had made “racially insensitive” comments and applied “undue influence” regarding players’ ability to compete through medical issues.</p>
