LAKELAND, Fla. — A Lakeland woman was arrested on Aug. 22 after deputies said she fatally struck a woman with her vehicle and then fled, authorities said.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) took 24-year-old Aliya Cruz into custody four days after deputies said she hit the female pedestrian on West Highland Street.
Just before 4 a.m. on Aug. 18, the PCSO received a 911 call regarding a female lying in the middle of West Highland Street in Lakeland.
When first responders arrived, they located Danielle Stilwell, 27, dead in the roadway, and broken vehicle parts at the scene, officials said. The vehicle parts included the front driver’s side fender liner with a part number included, and a piece of the front bumper.
After inquiring with local dealerships, it was learned the vehicle part belonged to a 2019 to 2022 Kia Forte.
Deputies canvassed the area in search of video surveillance cameras and reviewed the footage from a Sunoco gas station located near the intersection of Wabash Avenue and West Highland Street. The footage showed a black sedan traveling westbound from the scene of the crash on West Highland Street.
The vehicle made a right turn at the red light, heading north on Wabash Avenue, then immediately made a U-turn to head south. The vehicle then turned right on West Highland Street.
Deputies reviewed a list of black Kia Fortes, 2019-22 models, registered in Polk County. They located a black Kia parked in the driveway at a West Highland Street home, which was missing a piece of the driver’s side bumper and the front left wheel fender liner, consistent with the parts left behind at the scene.
After speaking with the residents, it was determined that Cruz, was the owner and driver of this vehicle.
When detectives interviewed Cruz, she told them that she left her home at about 3:50 a.m. for work at the Publix warehouse on South County Line Road in Lakeland.
She had to be at work at 4 a.m. and traveled west on West Highland Street, which is the same route she takes to work daily, according to a PCSO report.
She told detectives that as she was driving, a truck approached her from the opposite direction with high beam lights on, impairing her vision.
The truck turned right, and then she observed a woman lying on the roadway in front of her with her hands over her face. She told detectives that she swerved right to avoid striking the woman and went off the road into the grass.
She said she didn't think she hit the victim. She said she turned right at the light, then made a U-turn in the middle of the road and went back to West Highland Street because she did not want to be late for work, the report stated.
Cruz did not remain on scene, nor did the driver render aid to the victim or call for help, deputies added.
Detectives responded to the Publix warehouse and verified her arrival through security cameras and badge access readers. Detectives spoke with Cruz's supervisors, one of whom said Cruz told him she had "possibly killed someone," the report stated.
She showed him photos of the damage to her car. The supervisor advised her to call the police and report it.
She made other statements such as, "I don't really want to say anything," "Well uhm, I know I didn't hit them," "I don't think I hit the person," and "I know I swerved," the report stated.
Cruz was charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death.
"My Traffic Homicide detectives are the very best in the business. They meticulously work around the clock when conducting fatal crash investigations, especially those that involve suspects who flee the scene. They treat each victim as if he or she were their own family member. I'm very proud of them for solving this case," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
“You know, it might just be time we take a look if HOAs are really even necessary.
Maybe we should just do away with homeowner associations as a whole.”
South Florida lawmaker Rep. Juan Carlos Porras (R-Miami) says it may be time to do away with homeowners associations altogether, as more Floridians speak out about rising fees, costly lawsuits, and even arrests tied to HOA disputes. He said this week that he is considering filing legislation in the next session that would abolish HOAs statewide.
