A Florida woman is accused of striking and killing a pedestrian in the early morning hours before fleeing the scene on her way to work. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said 24-year-old Aliya Cruz hit 27-year-old Danielle Stilwell on Aug. 18 in Lakeland, about 35 miles east of Tampa.
Deputies received a call shortly before 4 a.m. about a woman lying in the roadway on West Highland Street. When first responders arrived, they found Stilwell dead in the road alongside vehicle debris, including a front driver’s side fender liner and part of a bumper. Investigators said the evidence indicated a car had been involved, though no vehicle was present at the scene.
Surveillance video from a nearby gas station later showed a vehicle identified as Cruz’s traveling away from the crash. According to investigators, the car turned right at a red light, made a U-turn, and returned to West Highland Street without stopping to render aid or notify authorities.
Deputies later located the vehicle parked in a driveway on West Highland Street. It was missing parts consistent with the debris left at the crash site. Investigators confirmed the car was registered to Cruz, according to FOX 13.
Cruz told detectives she left her home around 3:50 a.m. to report to her job at a Publix warehouse, which required her to take West Highland Street. She claimed she was momentarily blinded by the high beams of an oncoming truck and then noticed a woman lying in the road.
“She told detectives that she swerved right to avoid striking the woman, and went off the road into the grass,” the sheriff’s office said. “She said she believed that she did not hit the person, but she was not sure,” Cruz admitted. She continued toward work because she did not want to be late.
After arriving, she told a supervisor she had “possibly killed someone” and even showed photos of the damage to her car. The supervisor urged her to contact the police. Cruz reportedly responded, “I don’t really want to say anything,” before making additional comments such as, “I don’t think I hit the person,” and “I know I swerved.”
Investigators said surveillance footage does not corroborate her account of being blinded by a truck. Court records show Cruz has a history of traffic infractions in the county, including speeding and failure to stop at a stop sign. Cruz remains in custody as the investigation continues. The sheriff’s office said charges are pending.