Fatal hit and run case bound up to Laramie County District Court

Hannah Black, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, Cheyenne
·3 min read

Apr. 2—CHEYENNE — The case of a local man accused of fatally hitting a pedestrian with his truck while drunk was found to have probable cause Friday morning and will be heard in Laramie County District Court.

Kyle Ziemer, 32, of Cheyenne appeared in Laramie County Circuit Court for a preliminary hearing, with Judge Sean Chambers finding cause to bind the case up to district court, which handles felony criminal cases.

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Ziemer's bond remains at $20,000 cash. His next appearance will be his arraignment in district court, but the time and date have yet to be announced.

Ziemer is currently charged with aggravated homicide by vehicle (DUI), which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in injury or death, according to circuit court records.

Andrea Martinez, 38, of Cheyenne was identified Wednesday by Wyoming Highway Patrol as the victim in the case. Martinez was taken to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, where she died from her injuries.

During the Friday hearing, two Cheyenne Police officers, Alyssa Muzquiz and Logan Warren, testified about their involvement with the case. Ziemer appeared in the courtroom alongside attorneys Diane Lozano and Carol Serelson. Laramie County Assistant District Attorney Jonah Buckley represented the state.

At about 5:45 p.m. March 24, officers responded to a hit and run involving a pedestrian near the intersection of Nationway and Hot Springs Avenue. According to witnesses, Martinez was walking eastbound on a paved median on Nationway when the driver of a red 2014 Chevy Silverado pickup truck, later identified as Ziemer, swerved into the median and struck Martinez.

Officer Muzquiz initially responded to the scene and took over for a witness who was administering CPR to Martinez, she said. She interviewed two witnesses who had been driving behind Ziemer, with both saying they saw him swerve into the median and hit Martinez with his truck.

Officer Warren arrived at Ziemer's residence shortly after he allegedly struck Martinez with his vehicle. When Warren arrived, the two witnesses, who said they followed Ziemer from the scene, began pointing at Ziemer and identifying him as the person who hit Martinez, Warren said. The witnesses said Ziemer had fled the scene.

Warren made contact with Ziemer as he was attempting to open his front door, he said, handcuffing him and placing him in the back of his patrol car while he interviewed witnesses. Warren noticed Ziemer's speech was slurred, his eyes were watery and bloodshot, and he smelled of alcohol.

During interviews with police, Ziemer said he'd had six beers at a work party, and initially said he had been driven home by a friend. He later told police he was the driver and had hit Martinez with his vehicle.

Warren said Ziemer's blood-alcohol level was tested at CRMC after the incident, but he didn't know the results of the test. Ziemer failed one field sobriety test, Warren said, and further tests were not conducted because Ziemer had fallen over several times while in police custody.

Hannah Black is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's criminal justice reporter. She can be reached at hblack@wyomingnews.com or 307-633-3128. Follow her on Twitter at @hannahcblack.

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