Celebrity News July 08, 2021
‘Bridgerton’ Author Julia Quinn’s Father and Sister Die in Accident
Instagram
Julia Quinn, the author of the “Bridgerton” book series, is mourning the loss of her father and sister after a horrific accident in Utah on June 29.
She shared the news on Instagram, writing, “I have lost my father and my sister. Because a catering company did not secure its load and canvas bags spilled onto the highway. Because a pickup driver thought nothing of driving while his blood alcohol level was nearly 3 times the legal limit.”
Too Fab posted details of the accident from the Utah Department of Public Safety. According to the report, Steve, 77, and Violet, 37, were in a Toyota Prius that was forced to stop due to the debris in the roadway.
That’s when a Ford F-250 allegedly didn’t stop behind them, hitting their car and pushing them into a Chevy Malibu that was ahead of them.
Steve and Violet died at the scene, while a male passenger was airlifted to a hospital. The driver of the F-250 was arrested for DUI.
Julia added to her Instagram post, “I have lost my father, and I don’t have my sister with whom to grieve. I have lost my sister @violetcharlescomics, with whom I had just finished a graphic novel. It was dedicated to our father. It will still be dedicated to our father. It won’t be a surprise anymore, but I’d like to think he suspected we’d do it. He knew us so well. He was our dad.”
Quinn also shared a note she and her siblings had posted on their father’s Facebook page.
Steve — the author of the Cheesie Mack book series — was honored by his surviving children, who wrote, “On June 29, 2021, our father Steve Cotler was killed by a drunk driver in a crash that also took the life of his youngest daughter, the noted cartoonist Violet Charles. Violet’s beloved service dog Michelle also perished in the crash.”
The message highlighted many of his milestones and achievements, from attending Harvard to appearing on “The Gong Show.” Within the tribute, Quinn pointed out, “He was willing to try almost anything, and he never let the fear of embarrassment rule his actions. As a friend said after his sudden death, ‘We should all be a little more Steve.’”
