Updated: Grand Rapids Woman Charged with Criminal Vehicular Homicide in Pedestrian’s Death

A Grand Rapids woman has been charged with one count of criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the death of a man who was walking on an Itasca County highway in July.

65-year-old Cynthia Arlene Martin was charged Tuesday in Itasca County Court with Criminal Vehicular Homicide–Driver Who Causes Collision Leaves Scene. Martin is currently the chair for the 8th Congressional District DFL and the vice chair for the Itasca County DFL, and she also previously served as chair for the latter organization.

According to the criminal complaint in the case, authorities believe that on the night of July 3rd this year, Martin was driving west on Highway 169 near Nashwauk when she struck 19-year-old Carter Haithcock of Goodland. Around 6 a.m. the next day, Martin called 911 to report she may have been involving in an accident near Nashwauk and later told law enforcement she thought she may have hit an owl or turkey.

Investigators found extensive damage to the front of Martin’s vehicle, and a piece of fabric was in the hood that was consistent with the sweatshirt worn by Haithcock. They also found surveillance video from a gas station that showed a vehicle similar to the one she was driving that pulled over at the location Haithcock was hit and near the time they believe the collision occurred.

The complaint says Haithcock spent the evening before the incident participating in the Nashwauk street dance, where multiple witnesses and surveillance footage confirmed his presence. At about 10:50 p.m., Haithcock is said to have gotten into an argument with a former romantic partner. He announced he was walking home and left the street dance. A postmortem toxicology report showed a .054 blood alcohol content and the presence of THC in Haithcock’s system.

Martin reportedly spent that day walking in the Aurora and Gilbert parades before going to a dinner at the Sawmill Saloon in Mountain Iron. The dinner concluded at 10:30 p.m., and she drove home. Surveillance footage from inside the Sawmill Saloon showed Martin didn’t have any alcohol with dinner, and a blood test conducted by the BCA, which Martin submitted to, showed negative results for all tested substances.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for December 26th.

Updated with more information from the criminal complaint on what happened prior to the incident.