Why? Why didn't you stop when you hit when you knew you hit something? >> Panicked. I don't know. I should have. >> This is Elizabeth Ponia and she's just been caught driving away from the scene of a crash. >> And I panic. I was like, "Holy, this is like an animal or deer." >> Little does she know, this deer she's talking about was actually an innocent man. >> It sounds like the accident actually occurred on the sidewalk. Do you remember jumping the curb for any particular reason? >> Is that blood there? Yeah, >> she was uh involved in a hit and run accident. Actually killed somebody. So >> yeah. >> Oh my god. >> Obviously, I've been standing here looking at my car, but I'm like, "Holy." And obviously I I've hit someone. >> It was 11:30 a.m. on January 7th, 2024, when a professional horse trainer, Elizabeth Pone, was enjoying a Sunday brunch with her friends at a local bar in Okalo, Florida. 6 hours and a few drinks later, Elizabeth and her two friends can be seen heading towards the bar's parking lot. As Elizabeth was the only one at the bar who ordered drinks, her friends offered her an Uber ride, but Elizabeth ignored them and decided to drive home herself, a decision that would change her life forever. [Music] She eventually reached the highway and by that time it was already completely dark. Just a few minutes into her drive, a deer suddenly jumped in front of her car. She panicked and at the last second swerved to avoid the deer. But in doing so, she lost control and steered onto the sidewalk, crashing straight into a cyclist. At around 6:35 p.m., the Ocala Police Department received a call about a man lying motionless on the sidewalk and urgently needing medical help. [Applause] >> Hey, did he did he witness it? >> I think a location. The man was later identified as 61-year-old Lewis Oziel, a beloved local resident who was peacefully enjoying a bike ride home, completely unaware that tragedy was about to strike. Unfortunately, despite the medics arriving quickly, Lewis's injuries were fatal and he was pronounced dead at the scene. >> Look at that. They were scoop. >> Yeah, cuz I have her going up on the sidewalk and there's a bloody bottle cap up there. [Applause] Is that blood there? >> Yeah. >> According to the witness who first called 911, the perpetrator was driving a red Mini Cooper when they struck Lewis. Sparks flew as the vehicle sped away from the scene without any attempt to stop. They immediately jumped into their patrol cars, notified all available units, and began searching for the suspect. even requesting air support, >> have them mark off the scene. Nobody moves around and if we can have air1 coming up to Cal Park Estates, we track the uh the vehicle. It's going to be up here someplace. And if they could uh assist with finding it, the car's here somewhere. I'm shutting down everything westbound. >> LT, I'm going to block it off at 27. I'm going to shut it down at 27. Nobody westbound. where the vehicle is at Northwest 61st Lane, Northwest 48th Avenue. >> Traffic was quickly shut down and locating the hit and run driver didn't take long. The red Mini Cooper clearly stood out due to the broken window, damaged headlights, and sparks flying from the car. The officers proceeded with caution as they were about to confront the driver who had supposedly just taken an innocent man's life, unaware of how heartless the driver would turn out to be. >> Florida had a deputy. >> No, it is fine. I understand. I I've never hit I've never had an accident. I've had somebody hit me one time. I'm 44 years old. Everyone is going for one of these vehicles around what is I'm I'm totally out of my mind because I've never had an accident. >> This is your car. >> Back to our >> Yes, absolutely. >> Police identified the reckless driver as 44year-old Elizabeth Ponia. She appeared nervous, fidgety, and incredibly confused. Elizabeth didn't know it yet, but her night was about to get much worse. I just want you to walk me through like how the accident happened and stuff like that. And then so we're just going to do a step by step where you were at when the initial impact occurred and then we're just going to go from there. Okay. >> So I'm just going to take try to take notes cuz we got a little bit of ways from there to here. I just don't want to lose anything. >> And I get it and and my panic was how I got here. So I I totally get that. >> Where were you at when the accident occurred? >> Um so I was leaving uh downtown. Okay. Okay, I was leaving district. I turned >> I turned on 27. I don't know what this side road is. >> When you say district, you talking about the district bar? >> Yeah, the where mellow mushroom is and all that down there. >> Oh my god, aing deer jumped. That's what it felt like to me. It's like a deer jumped into my car and I and I and I panic. I was like, "Holy [ __ ] that was like an animal or deer." But I was like, "No, Liz, it's not a deer." So, as I'm rationalizing this, I'm like on autopilot turn, right? To come. I'm like, "No, no, you like something's wrong." So then I called my brother. Totally should have stopped right then. Like hit the brakes, but there were cars. There was all kinds of [ __ ] So I was like, "Stop." Oh, not exactly how my Sunday is supposed to go. >> I got you. >> Anyway, here I am. >> I totally for I don't know what other word there is. Did you hear anything after the incident >> or during the incident? >> Besides my >> She did a U-turn, right? Like Liz, what the No. >> Okay. >> So, you didn't hear scraping anything like that while you're driving? >> No. Well, yeah. I heard scraping. I was like, "Holy shit." Like that. I thought animal like the de dog dog, a deer. Like, holy [ __ ] >> The way Elizabeth tells her story is almost theatrical. She uses exaggerated gestures. Her words are overly emotional and she adds unnecessary details. This kind of behavior is common in someone trying to gain sympathy and it might even be her way of trying to justify what she did. Elizabeth claimed she panicked when something suddenly struck her car. Yet, instead of stopping or calling 911, she just kept driving and dialed her brother. It was only after he urged her to pull over that she was finally stopped to wait for police. But instead of taking responsibility for the crash, Elizabeth will try to trick and manipulate the officers, worrying solely about herself, not the man whose life had just been lost. >> I I was just sitting there um Cat and Tony um their own Katya. They were friends of mine and I had brunch at their restaurant and then she hadn't eaten. She's pregnant. So, we told her, "Hey, Cat, you need to come eat." So, like, we made her go eat at District. So, we sat there. I had water. I mean, like I don't have a bar tab from District. Okay. Okay. Cat and Tony went home, I assume. Um, and then I left from from there. So, >> Okay. >> How long? >> All right. So, we left District and then the accident occurred in front of the Royal King right after the 7-Eleven. >> 7-Eleven, correct? >> Um, do you remember about how fast you were going right there? Well, I'ming grandma, so 40. I don't I I don't ever drive fast. Like >> I don't have speeding tickets like having a turbo. >> Uh 40. I don't know whatever that is. 40 or 35 45 maybe. Whatever. >> 35 and 45. >> Yeah, I don't ever speed. >> Several things stand out in Elizabeth's story. Firstly, she claims that she has no bill from the bar, but the alcohol smell coming from her car makes the officers doubt her statement. Secondly, her claim that she's a slow driver is disproven by the CCTV footage, which shows her going at least 50 mph. But ultimately, even from a hit at 30 mph, a pedestrian has a very high chance of being killed, especially if they're an elderly man with a pre-existing heart condition. What Elizabeth didn't realize yet is that police back at the crime scene were already piecing together what happened. And what they discovered on the scene would disprove every excuse she has. >> Yeah. Yeah. So right here she goes up on the curve right here. Right here. >> Yeah. Right about there. She jumps the curb right there. She goes There's glass. That's plastic. That looks like there. Yeah. Yeah, I see. I say we're right on top of point. >> Yeah, I think point of impact is going to be somewhere right in here. >> What police discovered at the crash site clearly contradicts Elizabeth's previous statements. The crash did not occur on the highway. Elizabeth jumped a curb, hit Lewis, and continued driving on the sidewalk for nearly 10 yards. The officers decided it was time to break the devastating news to Elizabeth, but not before asking one simple yet damning question. >> It sounds like the accident actually occurred on the sidewalk. Do you remember jumping the curb for any particular reason? >> No. >> Is there something that jumped out in front of you you tried to avoid or something along those lines? You don't remember jumping the curb? >> No, I don't remember jumping a curb. And obviously I I've hit someone. Stop, Liz. Okay, think. Now Liz has to think. >> Finally, reality hit Elizabeth. She had taken the life of an innocent man and driven off without a second thought. Unlike her initial claim of possibly hitting a deer on the highway, Elizabeth insists she didn't swerve or jump the curb. However, skid marks found at the scene disprove her statement and confirm that a crash did in fact occur on the sidewalk, likely as a result of her attempting to avoid the deer. But the tragic part was that an innocent 61-year-old Lewis Ozio was riding his bicycle on that very same sidewalk. As he was screaming in agony, all he could see was his attacker speeding away and refusing to look back. Elizabeth's attempts to portray herself as a careful and empathetic driver turned out to be completely feudal. After learning that a man and not a deer was hit by her car, not once did Elizabeth ask about the innocent man's well-being. To make matters worse, Elizabeth will soon prove to be completely uncooperative and try to hide the real cause of the crash. >> Are you Elizabeth? >> I am. Yes, sir. >> Okay. Yeah. I'm Sergeant Chris Smith of Cal Police Department. >> Yes, sir. >> Um, I need to ask you one question. >> Absolutely. >> Um, would you be willing to give a voluntary bullet sample? >> Uh, >> obviously this is a crash is involved in serious injury. So, >> um, it's it's a question. >> I don't have an I don't know how to answer that like drugs or or I mean drugs >> drugs, alcohol or anything like that. I mean, that's what our concerns earlier like but at brunch, but that was at like 12:00. I don't know. I don't know how long like I don't know. >> I don't know what the right answer. I don't know what the answer to that. So, no, I guess. I don't know. >> Okay, that's fine. I mean, it's a it's a yes or no question. I'm asking you right now. >> If you voluntarily be able to do that, if you want to say no right now, that's fine. While Elizabeth refused to cooperate with police, one of the officers made a visit to the bar to find out just how much Elizabeth had to drink. >> Hello. >> I am trying to find out any information about this lady. >> Do you remember? >> She was sitting at 21 with Tony. >> No, she was consuming alcohol. >> He had one shot for me and that was it. She didn't get anything else to drink for me. >> Just one shot. >> Just one shot. >> We're all affected. >> So, we know at least one shot. >> I mean, she seemed a little nothing to like. >> I mean, she was a little pushy whenever I was sitting here. She looks like she facility because I sat them and they were kind of upset that they had to sit on the first floor and she was kind of if something happened, she's the one. >> Oh yeah, >> one of them. Yeah. Oh, sorry. Nice to meet you. >> No, she was uh involved in a hit and run accident. Actually killed somebody. So >> she >> Yeah. >> Oh my god. >> So it's pretty serious for her. So >> Oh my god. >> Oh my goodness. this show. >> That's so heartbreaking. >> I have seen her again. >> According to the staff, Elizabeth had at least one drink at the bar, and her behavior seemed erratic and suspicious. This piece of information may be the difference between Elizabeth walking free and sitting behind bars. Back at the scene, Elizabeth was running out of excuses, and the police had no doubt that she was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. After some more pressure and a damning statement from the bar staff, Elizabeth would finally crack and tell the truth. But instead of just admitting she'd been drinking, she revealed something far worse. >> When was the last time you had something to drink today? >> Um, it probably So, I went I met I could look at my phone. I met Cat at 11:30 or so at uh Katya and I had two mimosas. Three mimosas. I mean, that was I could smell it on your breath. I I have I had a diet I had two Diet Cokes with her. I >> mean, I could I could >> Unless you had alcohol added to the Diet Coke. There's no alcohol in Diet Coke. >> No, no, I understand that. I understand. >> Are you taking any medications? >> Uh I I take um I have a Aderal prescription and I take control pills. >> When's the last time you take your Advil? >> Um I take it twice a day. I took it at probably uh uh >> 12:00 maybe. >> 12:00. So right about the time you're uh having your most >> does it say on the label >> alcohol may or may intensify the effect. >> Y >> mixing alcohol with aderall can be extremely dangerous. Aderall is a stimulant drug increasing alertness and focus. Taken with alcohol, aderall masks the sedating effects of alcohol. In other words, aderall made Elizabeth feel more sober than she actually was. Despite denying to have her blood sample taken and later refusing a mandatory breath test, Elizabeth agrees to partake in sobriety tests as a lastditch effort to prove her innocence. >> Don't move your head. Don't move your head. Don't move your head. Don't move your head. You >> want to turn again? I'll turn circles. I don't continue just like I showed you, man. Left. V Q R Y X Y Z drive count backwards from 100 99 98 97 96 95 >> all right you are being placed under red for driving on the influence of an alcohol beverage or any substance for chapter 8 93 under Florida law you are required to submit the love test your breath the purse determines alcohol content you submit a breath Uh, no. Okay. >> In all five of the exercises, Elizabeth showed multiple indicators of being under the influence of alcohol. In fact, she was so intoxicated that she failed every single test. At 10:40 p.m. January 7th, 2024, Elizabeth was arrested and booked into the Marion County Jail. She was charged with DUI manslaughter and leaving the scene of a crash. 2 days later on January 9th, her bail was set to $100,000 while her case is still ongoing. If she's found guilty, she could face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.