Two and a half years had passed since Lacey Jo Martin, a 16-year-old Elk City girl, was traveling home when she, her siblings, and friends were struck by a drunk driver, Cassandra Bray.
The collision occurred east of Yukon on October 29, 2021.
In addition to having a blood-alcohol level of .12, Bray was reportedly driving nearly 90 miles per hour when she drove straight into the Chevy Cruze carrying Martin and her loved ones. Data from the information black box inside Bray’s vehicle reportedly showed that not only did she not attempt to brake before impact with the Chevy, but she accelerated, according to court testimony.
Martin was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was placed on life support until November 10, 2021. She died there that day, surrounded by her family and loved ones.
Her mother, Stacy Grizzell, and her family have traveled to Canadian County to attend every court proceeding involving Bray since her daughter’s tragic death.
Following a week-long trial, a jury convicted Bray of first-degree manslaughter and three counts of driving under the influence, resulting in great bodily harm on March 8.
Grizzell was back in court on April 23 to hear Canadian County Judge Paul Hesse’s sentence.
“He sentenced her to thirty-one years overall — that was sixteen years for Lacey’s death and then five years each for hurting the three other kids. That comes out to thirty-one years in total. The judge told her he saw no remorse in her actions. He wondered why she hadn’t taken the plea deal that the district attorney offered her. Yes, it would have had her serve some prison time, but it also meant she had to admit guilt. I don’t know why she wouldn’t do that instead of putting us all through this, but as the judge said, she could have been home probably under ten years if she had only taken that plea bargain,” Grizzell recounted.
Grizzell’s mission has been simple since Martin’s passing, particularly throughout the trial. She did not want her daughter’s life to be lost in legal jargon.
She wanted justice. After all, motherhood and the children she has been given through it are her life’s greatest joys and blessings, she says.
“I have five children biologically mine, but my husband Jerry came into our marriage with two,” Grizzell explained. “We aren’t a family who has ever divided ourselves that way through all that step-kid or step-brother stuff. They are all siblings and they are all our kids. That has been since we all became a family, but that is really true since Lacey died. I don’t believe I could have gotten through this without them. There have been days that I thought I wouldn’t make it through, but then I see one of them. I know Lacey’s cheering for me to keep being their mom.”
Bray must now serve at least 13.5 years before she is eligible for parole.
Grizzell said, “The judge said to her that she was driving so fast because she said she was rushing home to her kid. But, the judge also said that she wasn’t thinking about my kids — and she killed one of my kids. Lacey Jo was my kid who was most like me. She was beautiful. Her smile literally could light up a room.”
