A Lakeland woman has been arrested in connection to a fatal hit-and-run crash that occurred earlier this month, the Polk County Sheriff's Office reports. Aliya Cruz, 24, was taken into custody after a detailed investigation linked her to the death of pedestrian Danielle Stilwell. In a statement obtained by the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Grady Judd praised his team, saying, "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."
According to law enforcement, Cruz struck Stilwell last Monday morning last but failed to stop or call for help. The Polk County Sheriff's Office ECC received a 911 call just before 4:00 a.m., finding Stilwell deceased in the roadway, surrounded by broken vehicle parts. These parts ultimately played a crucial role in solving the case. Investigators managed to quickly trace a piece of bumper and a fender liner back to a black Kia Forte, model year between 2019 and 2022. Deputies then were able to swiftly locate a vehicle matching the description at Cruz's residence.
Cruz reportedly admitted to driving the vehicle at the time of the accident and told detectives that her vision was impaired by an oncoming truck with high beam lights. According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, she said, "I don't really want to say anything," but also claimed, "Well uhm, I know I didn't hit them," and said that she believed she swerved in time to avoid hitting the person.
Her supervisor encouraged her to contact the police. Nevertheless, it took another few days before Cruz was interrogated again and subsequently arrested last Friday. She is currently facing charges of leaving the scene of a crash involving death.
