Driver charged with drunken manslaughter after cyclist’s death
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STUART – A former Stuart News business editor who was killed Friday morning when a car collided with his bicycle on a city bridge was remembered Saturday as a special man.
Martin Drummond, 67, of Sewall’s Point, died early Friday when a woman who police said was driving under the influence of alcohol crashed her car into the rear wheel of his bicycle as he rode over the Evans Crary Bridge.
“He was a rare gem,” said Lori Drummond, his wife of 18 years. “He cared deeply about people and wanted them to know how much he cared about them.”
Drummond, who rode his bike across the bridge every weekday, was riding east on the bridge toward Sewall’s Point Road shortly before 7 a.m. when he was struck by a 2019 BMW 535i driven by Elise Victoria Elder, 23, of Stuart, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Elder did not stop after the collision and fled the scene, police said.
Emergency services arriving at the scene of the accident pronounced Drummond dead.
Elder was arrested later Friday and charged with DUI manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident, according to Martin County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Christine Weiss. Elder was being held in the Martin County Jail on Saturday.
Drummond was a minister, real estate agent and journalist. He worked as business editor of The Stuart News from 1998 to 2001 and was editor of River Living magazine at the time of his murder.
He was born in Bloomington, Indiana, and moved to the Treasure Coast when he was about 18, according to his wife. He was the father of two children, three stepchildren, and had 12 grandchildren.
He and his wife conducted a virtual Bible study every Thursday on Facebook Live.
“This is a great loss for us. Our lives will never be the same again,” said Lori Drummond.
Gianna Montesano is TCPalm’s trends reporter. You can reach her at [email protected] or 772-409-1429, or follow her on X (formerly Twitter). @gonthescene.
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