PALM BEACH, Fla. — A 76-year-old woman faces a felony charge after police said she hit a bicyclist, left the scene and went straight to a golf lesson.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the crash occurred on March 18 in the 700 block of Country Club Road just before 9:30 a.m.
Police said Ellen Richman of Palm Beach was driving a 2017 Mercedes Benz GL 450 when she hit a 62-year-old cyclist.
Investigators said after the collision, Richman didn't stop but instead continued driving while "dragging both the bicyclist and his bicycle" for about 7 feet down the road.
The affidavit said the 76-year-old woman proceeded until she arrived at the Palm Beach Country Club where she handed her car to a valet.
When officers arrived a the country club, they were told by staff that Richman was taking lessons on the golf course.
Investigators later found Richman's SUV and spotted a broken headlight and undercarriage damage on the passenger's side of the vehicle. The affidavit also said a front bumper cover retention clip was also found at the scene of the crash, which was missing from the Mercedes Benz.
During the investigation, one of the valets at the country club told police that when Richman arrived at the country club she immediately told him she believed she had struck something while driving.
The valet said he and Richman did a "brief check" of the rear and passenger side of the vehicle but did not find any damage, the police report said.
When officers interviewed Richman she told them she believed she struck "something" but at no time believed it was a person and assumed it was just a piece of debris in the road.
Richman was arrested on a second-degree felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident with injury.
The injured cyclist was taken to St. Mary Medical Center after suffering a compound fracture to his tibia and fibula as well as other lacerations and abrasions.
