South Florida woman gets 42 years for fatal hit-and-run that killed bicyclist on the 10-Cent Bridge
BREAKING NEWS OUT OF MARTIN COUNTY. A STEWART WOMAN NOW LEARNING HER FATE AFTER KILLING A GRANDFATHER IN A HIT AND RUN. WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS STORY SINCE THE CRASH HAPPENED BACK IN 2024. OUR NIKITA RAMOS IS JOINING US LIVE IN NIKITA. CLOSING STATEMENTS HAPPENED JUST WITHIN THE PAST FIVE MINUTES. RIGHT. AND VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENTS MADE THE COURTROOM FEEL VERY EMOTIONALLY HEAVY ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS STORY. AFTER HOURS OF EMOTIONAL TESTIMONY, MARTIN COUNTY JUDGE SENTENCED 25 YEAR-OLD ELISE ELDER TO 42 YEARS IN PRISON, FOLLOWED BY A YEAR OF PROBATION. AND THE JUDGE ALSO ORDERED THE SENTENCES TO RUN CONSECUTIVELY. 30 YEARS FOR LEAVING THE SCENE OF A FATAL CRASH, FOLLOWED BY 12 YEARS FOR DUI MANSLAUGHTER. INVESTIGATORS SAY THAT ELDER WAS DRIVING MORE THAN 80MPH IN A 40 MILE AN HOUR ZONE ON THE BRIDGE WHEN SHE STRUCK 67 YEAR-OLD MARTIN DRUMMOND FROM BEHIND. ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO TODAY, TROOPERS REVEALED IN COURT TODAY THAT HER BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 0.329. THAT’S MORE THAN FOUR TIMES THE LEGAL LIMIT. PROSECUTORS ARGUED IT WASN’T JUST ONE BAD DECISION, BUT A SERIES OF CHOICES THAT MORNING THAT ENDED A MAN’S LIFE. ELDER TOOK THE STAND HERSELF TODAY, APOLOGIZING DIRECTLY TO TEARS, SHE SAID I’M SORRY COULD NEVER MATCH THE PAIN THAT SHE CAUSED THAT SHE THINKS ABOUT MARTIN EVERY DAY AND SHE’LL NEVER FORGIVE HERSELF. HER ATTORNEYS ASKED THE JUDGE FOR LENIENCY, CITING HER REMORSE, HER MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, HER FAITH AND COMMUNITY SERVICE SINCE THE CRASH. BUT MARTIN DRUMMOND’S FAMILY DESCRIBED A LOSS THAT THEY WILL CARRY FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. HIS WIFE, LORI, ACTUALLY TOOK. THE COURT TOLD THE COURT THAT SHE BELIEVES HER HUSBAND WOULD FORGIVE ELDER AND THAT SHE DOES TOO. HIS DAUGHTER SAID THEY NOW LIVE WITH PTSD, DEPRESSION AND GRIEF, TELLING THE COURT THAT THEY ARE THE ONES SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE AS THEY ASKED THE JUDGE FOR THE MAXIMUM PENALTY. NOW, BEFORE IMPOSING THE SENTENCE, THE JUDGE REJECTED THE DEFENSE’S REQUEST FOR A REDUCED PUNISHMENT, TELLING ELDER IT WAS HER CHOICES BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THAT CRASH THAT CREATED WHAT SHE CALLED A TSUNAMI OF DEVASTATION FOR BOTH FAMILIES. SO THE JUDGE ALSO PERMANENTLY REVOKED HER DRIVER’S LICENSE. THIS ALL MEANS THAT THIS CRIMINAL CASE IS NOW CLOSED. HOWEVER, THE DRUMMOND FAMILY’S WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT AGAINST ELDER IS STILL PENDING. WE ARE STILL FOLLOWING THAT ON THIS CASE. BUT AGAIN, A VERY EMOTIONAL DAY IN THE COURTROOM. THEY’RE STILL INSIDE RIGHT NOW. WE JUST LEARNED THAT SENTENCE AND THIS WAS THE LATEST FROM THAT
South Florida woman gets 42 years for fatal hit-and-run that killed bicyclist on the 10-Cent Bridge
Updated: 1:27 PM EDT Jun 26, 2026
Elise V. Elder, 25, was sentenced to 42 years in prison after leaving the scene of a crash that killed a 67-year-old man in Stuart in 2024. It happened on June 28, 2024, while Elders was traveling east on State Road A1A toward South Sewall’s Point Road on the Evans Crary Bridge, also known as the 10-Cent Bridge.The victim, 67-year-old Martin Drummond from Sewall’s Point, was riding a bicycle and was traveling east in the bicycle lane toward South Sewall’s Point Road.Previous coverage: ‘I forgive her’: Wife of Martin County man killed by hit-and-run driver speaks about her lossAccording to an incident report, Elder’s BMW entered the bicycle lane, hit Drummond’s bicycle from behind and did not stop after the crash.Drummond was pronounced dead at the scene. Elder was later arrested at her home by the Florida Highway Patrol.Related: Woman arrested in connection to deadly bicyclist crash on Evans Crary Bridge in StuartStay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. —
Elise V. Elder, 25, was sentenced to 42 years in prison after leaving the scene of a crash that killed a 67-year-old man in Stuart in 2024.
It happened on June 28, 2024, while Elders was traveling east on State Road A1A toward South Sewall’s Point Road on the Evans Crary Bridge, also known as the 10-Cent Bridge.
The victim, 67-year-old Martin Drummond from Sewall’s Point, was riding a bicycle and was traveling east in the bicycle lane toward South Sewall’s Point Road.
Previous coverage: ‘I forgive her’: Wife of Martin County man killed by hit-and-run driver speaks about her loss
According to an incident report, Elder’s BMW entered the bicycle lane, hit Drummond’s bicycle from behind and did not stop after the crash.
Drummond was pronounced dead at the scene.
Elder was later arrested at her home by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Related: Woman arrested in connection to deadly bicyclist crash on Evans Crary Bridge in Stuart
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.