Milagros “Millie” Ortiz, 92, died a day after the crash at South Semoran and Hoffner; a preliminary report lists the officer at fault.
ORLANDO, Fla. — A 92-year-old woman died Monday night from injuries suffered when a marked Orlando police cruiser collided with a Jeep early Sunday at South Semoran Boulevard and Hoffner Avenue, prompting internal affairs and traffic homicide investigations. Witnesses said the cruiser entered on a red light with lights activated and no siren.
The case centers on a pre-dawn impact in one of the city’s busiest corridors near Orlando International Airport. Family members said Milagros “Millie” Ortiz was riding in the passenger seat as a friend drove her home from a weekly bingo night when the crash spun their Jeep into a pole. A preliminary traffic report shared with relatives assigns fault to the officer for failing to yield the right of way. Police have not said whether the officer was on or off duty. Prosecutors will review the findings when investigators finish reconstructing the crash.
Jose Rodriguez said he was stopped next to the cruiser at a red light on Hoffner just before 2 a.m. when he saw it edge forward. “He turned the lights on. He didn’t turn the siren on,” Rodriguez said, describing the car “creeping” into the intersection. Moments later, the southbound Jeep Patriot was struck on the driver’s side and spun into a roadside pole, he said. A second witness, Saul Casas, said firefighters needed hydraulic tools to open the SUV’s doors. Casas stayed with the women inside until first responders arrived, he said.
Police announced that both an internal review of the officer’s actions and a comprehensive traffic homicide investigation are underway. The preliminary report provided to the family cites failure to yield; officials have not released the officer’s duty status or additional details about speed, video, or communications. Relatives said the driver was hospitalized with multiple broken bones and has since been released. Ortiz died the following night at Orlando Regional Medical Center. The department says no timetable exists for further updates while investigators gather records and witness statements.
Ortiz’s daughter, Evelyn Alicea, said a bystander called her from the scene after the impact. “I didn’t recognize his voice,” she said. “He told me my mom was in an accident.” Alicea and other relatives described Ortiz as the center of a large family: three children, 10 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren, plus two great-great-grandchildren and another on the way. They said she loved dancing and often stayed out late on Saturdays with friends, including the bingo game she was returning from before the collision.
The South Semoran–Hoffner junction is a multi-lane crossing that funnels traffic toward the airport and nearby neighborhoods. Police closed both northbound and southbound lanes after the crash while investigators documented the scene and arranged tows for the patrol car and Jeep. The episode drew new attention to pursuit and response rules for city officers navigating red lights. Witnesses emphasized the absence of a siren, and both said the cruiser did not appear to be speeding as it rolled into the intersection just before impact.
Investigators typically consult digital data recorders, intersection cameras, signal timing logs, and body- or dash-camera video where available. Once the traffic homicide team completes its work, the State Attorney’s Office will determine whether to pursue charges. Inside the agency, internal affairs will assess whether department policies on emergency operations were followed. Either track could continue even if the other closes without action; administrative findings, if any, would be released under public records rules.
By midweek, flowers and candles appeared near the pole where the Jeep came to rest. “She was always happy,” Alicea said of her mother. Casas called the scene “heartbreaking” and said he dialed relatives while holding the women’s hands. Rodriguez said he stepped forward to share what he saw at the light. Drivers passing through the intersection slowed as barricades came down and crews cleared debris.
As of Thursday, police had not released the officer’s duty status or any added evidence. Officials said updates will come after the internal and traffic homicide investigations reach key milestones and the case is referred to prosecutors for review.
Author note: Last updated January 22, 2026.