NOBLESVILLE, Ind. -- The woman accused of causing a crash that killed a married couple and, ultimately, her own unborn child in April is now facing two counts of felony murder.
Bridgette Ann Elmore was charged Friday with 10 counts, including OWI with a minor passenger in the vehicle, OWI causing death (three counts), involuntary manslaughter (three counts) and felony murder.
Elmore is accused of crossing the center line on April 19 while driving on State Road 32 near Westfield and striking a Chevy Equinox driven by 60-year-old Theodore Scherer Jr., of Indianapolis.
Scherer and his wife, 50-year-old Rhonda Scherer, were pronounced dead at the scene as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.
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Elmore’s 6-year-old daughter, who was in the back seat of her car, received relatively minor injuries in the crash – however the 28-week-old child Elmore was pregnant with at the time died at St. Vincent Hospital a short time after a premature delivery prompted by the collision.
A postmortem toxicology test performed on the child showed a toxic level of amphetamine in the baby boy’s blood.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed in Hamilton County, a search of Elmore’s vehicle turned up pills believed to be Adderall, along with two cellphones. Elmore’s blood toxicology results showed she had levels of amphetamine and alprazolam in her system far above therapeutic levels, along with THC.
Through a search of Elmore’s phone, along with testimony from alleged associates, police said they determined Elmore was dealing Adderall and Xanax which she was prescribed but told doctors she was not taking due to her pregnancy.
A social worker at St. Vincent Hospital also reported to the Department of Child Services that Elmore was “extremely distraught” after the crash and “said she feels like she is responsible for the accident due to her marijuana use.”
Elmore faces three involuntary manslaughter charges stemming from the deaths of the Scherers and her unborn child. The felony murder charges assert that Elmore caused the Scherers’ deaths while she was dealing in a schedule 2 controlled substance.
Elmore appeared in Hamilton County Circuit Court for an initial hearing in the case on Thursday. As of Thursday afternoon, she was being held in custody at the Hamilton County Jail on a $250,000 bond.
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