Nashwauk, Minnesota — A Minnesota woman has been sentenced after admitting she fatally struck a 19-year-old man walking along a highway and drove away because she believed she had hit an animal. Prosecutors said the victim, Carter Haithcock, was walking home alone after leaving a local street dance when the collision occurred.
The case has drawn attention because of the unusual sentence imposed and the driver’s statements to investigators following the deadly crash.
Teen Was Walking Home After Argument
According to court records, the incident happened on the night of July 3, 2024.
Authorities said Carter Haithcock, 19, had attended a street dance in Nashwauk, Minnesota, where he reportedly argued with a former romantic partner shortly before 11 p.m.
After the disagreement, witnesses told investigators that Haithcock decided to walk home alone. During his walk, he reportedly made several phone calls to the woman, with the final call occurring at approximately 11:15 p.m.
Driver Believed She Had Hit an Animal
Court documents state that Cynthia Martin, 66, had spent the evening having dinner with friends at the Sawmill Saloon in Mountain Iron before driving home to Grand Rapids.
At around 11:10 p.m., while speaking with a friend on the phone, Martin reportedly said:
“Oh my God, I hit something.”
She ended the call before calling the same friend back minutes later, saying the only apparent damage to her vehicle was a broken windshield.
According to investigators, the friend advised Martin to call 911. Martin later told police she believed she had struck “an owl or a turkey” and continued driving home without stopping.
Investigators later determined she was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the collision.
Surveillance Footage Helped Investigators
Police reviewed surveillance video showing a dark-colored SUV with one working headlight pulling over on the side of the highway for approximately 25 seconds before driving away.
At 11:17 p.m., another motorist called 911 after spotting a body lying in the roadway.
The driver said he swerved to avoid hitting the victim. A second vehicle was unable to avoid the body and struck it before immediately stopping and remaining at the scene.
Investigators later determined neither of those drivers caused Haithcock’s fatal injuries. Evidence recovered from the roadway helped investigators identify the suspect vehicle as a General Motors SUV.
Driver Contacted Police Hours Later
At approximately 5:54 a.m. on July 4, Martin called 911 and told dispatchers she believed she might have been involved in an accident the previous night.
She voluntarily spoke with investigators and repeated that she thought she had hit an animal, not a person. Following the investigation, Martin pleaded guilty to criminal vehicular homicide.
Judge Orders Jail Time and Annual July 4 Incarceration
After entering her guilty plea on May 20, Martin was sentenced this week to 365 days in jail, five years of supervised probation, and 100 hours of community service.
As part of the sentence, the judge ordered that every July 3 during her probation, Martin must report to jail and remain incarcerated through July 4, before being released on the morning of July 5.
The annual requirement coincides with the anniversary of Haithcock’s death.
Martin, who previously served as chair of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party’s 8th Congressional District organization in Minnesota, accepted responsibility through her guilty plea.
What are your thoughts on this sentence?
Do you believe penalties for fatal hit-and-run cases should be tougher, even when a driver claims they didn’t realize they struck a person? Share your opinion respectfully in the comments below.
