PALATKA, Fla. – A 40-year-old Belleview woman faces up to 30 years in prison after a Putnam County jury convicted her of leading deputies on a high-speed chase with her three teenage children inside the vehicle.
Sherry Denese Martin was found guilty following a two-day trial of fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer at high speed or with reckless driving, resisting an officer without violence and three counts of child neglect.
The charges stem from a June 12, 2025, encounter on Georgetown Denver Road in southern Putnam County.
According to prosecutors, a Putnam County sheriff’s deputy approached Martin’s vehicle after finding it parked in a driving lane. When the deputy asked Martin, who was behind the wheel, for her driver’s license, she refused repeated requests.
Prosecutors said Martin locked the vehicle’s doors and rolled up the windows, refusing to comply with the deputy’s commands for approximately 18 minutes. Her three children, ages 13, 15 and 16, were inside the vehicle.
Additional deputies arrived and deployed stop sticks. Martin drove over them, damaging the vehicle’s tires, but continued driving away, according to prosecutors.
Authorities said Martin then fled at high speeds and began losing control of the vehicle. Deputies backed off the pursuit because of the danger to Martin’s children and other motorists.
The pursuit later continued into Volusia County, where Martin eventually crashed and was taken into custody. The information released by prosecutors did not indicate whether Martin, her children or anyone else was injured in the crash.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant State Attorneys Jon Gless and Ray Cauthon prosecuted Martin.
Circuit Judge Alicia Washington presided over the trial and will sentence Martin at a later date. She faces up to 30 years in prison on the Putnam County convictions.
Martin also has charges pending in Volusia County stemming from the incident, including fleeing or attempting to elude officers at high speed or with reckless driving and simple battery. Those charges remain pending and are separate from the Putnam County convictions.