Naman Shrestha
In the episode titled ‘Hit and Run or Tragic Accident?’ of A&E’s ‘Accused: Guilty or Innocent,’ the focus is on the tragic accident that took away the life of Steven Ludin, who was crossing a busy Florida highway in 2019. The 27-year-old driver, Heidi Bartels, was heavily questioned about her intent by the authorities as she was found a few blocks away from the scene. As the documentary features Heidi herself, the viewers are provided with a detailed account of the accident through the perspective of the accused as she stood trial for the murder of the pedestrian.
Heidi Bartels Accidentally Struck a Pedestrian While Driving Home From Work
Born in the early 1990s to Jack and Manuela Bartels, Heidi Bartels was raised in Pembroke Pines, Florida, accompanied by her younger brother, Cheyn Bartels. Besides having a loving and supportive family, she was also blessed with many friends. Given her participation in various sports such as discus, Shot Put, 400-meter Dash, 800-meter Run, and 1600-meter Run, she was a popular figure among her peers at Charles W. Flanagan High School, from where she graduated with flying colors in 2010. After completing her studies, Heidi pursued her passion and worked her way to become a managing bartender or bar manager at a local restaurant in the Fort Lauderdale area.
Things had been going great in her life when, out of the blue, an accident turned her world upside down. On the night of August 8, 2019, Heidi finished work at the restaurant and was on her way home. However, during her drive, she hit a pedestrian named Steven Ludin, a father of four, with her car on a busy highway. With her windshield shattered and car damaged, the bartender pulled over a few blocks away from the site of the accident. Instead of calling 911, she called up her aunt to get a sense of things. When the authorities arrived at the scene, she was told that Steven had passed away due to the collision.
The officers questioned her about several things on the spot, including the reason she didn’t call the authorities, the reason she pulled over several blocks away after hitting the man, and more. She initially claimed she was taken by surprise and had no idea what she hit with her car. Not convinced by her statements, the police arrested and charged her for leaving the scene of an accident involving death. Although she was granted bail on a $50,000 bond soon after her arrest, the court gave her certain orders. Not only did she have to wear an ankle monitor until her trial, but she was also not allowed to leave Broward County or drive a vehicle. Fortunately for her, she was granted regular meetings with her family, who stood by her and believed her to be innocent.
Heidi Bartels Was Found Not Guilty by the Jury
While out on bond, Heidi Bartels continued working as a bar manager at the local restaurant, awaiting her trial and eager to prove her innocence. At the time, she was facing up to 30 years in prison if she were to be convicted for the fatal accident. About five years after the accident, Heidi stood trial, with her family present in the courtroom. While the prosecution focused on the fact that the defendant stopped her vehicle a few blocks away from the scene, the defense argued that if she wanted to flee the scene, she could have simply kept driving away.
After hearing both sides, the jury deliberated for about 10 minutes before reaching a verdict. Heidi Bartels was found not guilty and was ultimately acquitted of the charges against her. Elated and relieved, she walked out of the courtroom a free woman and regained her freedom. While she has understandably slipped into a life of privacy since her trial, we know that Heidi has been tied to ARCHway Institute by serving as a HOPE Fund Sponsor. Through the institute that believes in recovery from addiction, she encourages people to donate funds to the cause. From what we can tell, she still lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she seemingly continues to work as a managing bartender.
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