GRAND RAPIDS — The criminal vehicular homicide case against Cynthia "Cyndy" Martin will move forward after the judge denied motions to suppress evidence and dismiss the case.
Martin, 65, is accused of hitting and killing 19-year-old Carter Haithcock with her SUV on Highway 169 near Nashwauk before driving away the night of July 3, 2024.
In an order dated Wednesday, Oct. 8, Judge Heidi Chandler ruled there is sufficient probable cause for the trial to proceed. Chandler further ruled that evidence gathered as part of a driving-while-intoxicated investigation will remain in the case record.
"Despite Defendant’s statements to law enforcement, there is sufficient evidence that Defendant knew or should have known the collision resulted in injury to or death of another, given the height of [Haithcock] and the extent of the damage to Defendant’s vehicle," Chandler wrote. "This question goes to Defendant’s credibility, which is a question of fact for the jury."
A plea hearing is scheduled for 8:45 a.m. Nov. 5 in Itasca County District Court.
On the date of the incident, law enforcement responded to a report of a person lying in the middle of the road, according to the criminal complaint. Responders found the person, later identified as Haithcock, with extensive injuries and pronounced him dead shortly after arriving.
Martin called to report her possible involvement in the incident just before 6 a.m. the next morning, the complaint stated. She told law enforcement she spent the day of the crash at Fourth of July parades in Aurora and Gilbert, had dinner in Mountain Iron and then drove home to rural Grand Rapids.
Martin allegedly told law enforcement she thought she hit an owl or a turkey that morning, when they arrived at her home to investigate. After she stated she'd consumed two halves of a 5-milligram pill of hydrocodone over the course of the day of the crash, a DWI investigation occurred.
Months later, the results of Martin's blood test were negative for all the substances for which it was tested, according to court files. DWI is not a charge Martin faces in the case. Charges were not filed until more than four months later on Nov. 19.
In seeking to suppress evidence in the case, Martin's defense team argued there was no reasonable suspicion for the DWI investigation and the evidence collected should be thrown out. In her order denying the motion, Chandler opined that under the circumstances, the investigation was warranted.
"Defendant's constitutional rights were not violated, and the evidence obtained after the expansion need not be suppressed," Chandler wrote.
Public scrutiny
The incident and prosecution of the case have been under public scrutiny because of Martin’s political leadership positions. Martin is the chair of the 8th Congressional District DFL Party and vice-chair of the Itasca County DFL Party, according to the organizations’ websites.
An online petition launched earlier this year seeks justice for Haithcock, a 2023 Nashwauk High School graduate and young father who worked at Yanmar. The petition has garnered 844 signatures to date. Some have speculated that Martin earned special treatment because of her politics. Itasca County Sheriff Joe Dasovich responded to the petition online in May.
Martin’s defense team previously sought a change in venue, in large part because of this scrutiny. The defense stated that Martin would not receive a fair trial in Itasca County. Chandler denied that motion in late August.
More on the case
Haithcock was first discovered by a passerby, who called 911. While the reporting party was on the phone with dispatch, another vehicle ran Haithcock over in the road. Based on the debris field and lack of damage to the vehicle, officers believed another vehicle had struck Haithcock previously.
The criminal complaint stated Haithcock spent the evening at the Nashwauk street dance and then decided to walk home after an argument with a former romantic partner. Toxicology showed alcohol and THC in his system.
Martin was on the phone with someone at the time of the crash, according to the complaint. According to their statement, Martin said she hit something, and they told her to call 911. She then called them back and said nothing was wrong with her vehicle and something only hit her windshield, so initially, she didn’t report it.
Crash data from Martin’s vehicle shows that she drove below the speed limit and then hit her brakes just before the crash, according to the complaint. Surveillance footage from the Nashwauk Sinclair gas station showed a vehicle with a single headlight briefly stopping near the crash site just before the body was reported. Footage showed Martin’s vehicle entering Grand Rapids with one working headlight about 20 minutes later.
A crash reconstruction determined Haithcock’s body was thrown 138 feet at a speed of 43 to 52 mph before coming to a final rest.
On July 8, a witness reported to law enforcement that he had seen a person wearing dark clothing in the middle of the left lane on Highway 169 in that location. The witness stated he nearly hit the person, and they would have been difficult to see in the dark.
Martin was charged on Nov. 19, 2024. She first appeared in front of Chandler on Dec. 26, 2024.
The felony charge Martin faces for criminal vehicular homicide and leaving the scene carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of $20,000 or both. She is currently out on bail, which was set at $100,000 for conditional release. She must make all court appearances, remain law abiding and keep in contact with her attorney.
