A Dundee woman is now behind bars after Polk County deputies say she blew through multiple traffic signals in Winter Haven, slammed into a motorcyclist, then walked away while the rider lay critically injured. The collision happened around 5:39 p.m. Sunday, March 1, at W. Central Avenue and 2nd Street NW. Witnesses stayed with the injured man and called 911, giving dispatchers a description that helped deputies track down the driver. The motorcyclist was airlifted to a nearby hospital with a traumatic head injury and multiple fractures.
What police say
According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, 55-year-old Cresenciana Mazinis was headed east in a Honda CR‑V at a high rate of speed when she failed to stop at a red light and two stop signs, striking a 2001 Harley‑Davidson that was traveling southbound. The impact threw the rider onto the hood and carried him about 25 feet before he hit the pavement. Investigators say Mazinis got out of the SUV and took off on foot. Deputies caught up with her roughly two blocks away and detained her, then she was treated and released into law enforcement custody. “This driver left a man on the ground with life‑threatening injuries and tried to flee from her responsibility,” Sheriff Grady Judd said.
Witnesses helped track the suspect
Bystanders tried to stop the driver, then stayed put and called 911, offering a physical description that helped deputies quickly zero in on the suspect, according to the Tampa Free Press. While she was being detained, Mazinis told deputies she “had somewhere else to be” and initially refused to provide information, the outlet reported. She was treated for a minor leg injury before being booked into the Polk County Jail.
Charges and legal context
The Polk County Sheriff's Office reports that Mazinis was booked on charges that include reckless driving with serious bodily injury and leaving the scene of a crash involving serious injury, along with a probation violation and a misdemeanor count for refusing to sign citations. Under Florida law, leaving the scene of a crash that results in serious bodily injury is a second‑degree felony that can carry up to 15 years in prison, according to Florida Statutes §316.027. Reckless driving that causes serious bodily injury is covered by Florida Statutes §316.192 and can also be charged as a felony when the conduct leads to major injuries.
Victim's injuries and safety note
First responders found the motorcyclist lying in the grass. He was not wearing a helmet and was airlifted to a local hospital with a traumatic head injury and multiple fractures, the Tampa Free Press reported. Deputies say his injuries are life‑threatening and he remains in critical care. Investigators continue to work the case and have said more details will be released as they become available.
