WESH 2 Investigates continues pressing for answers after a 92-year-old grandmother died following a car crash last weekend with an Orlando Police cruiser.The traffic homicide unit from Orlando PD is investigating, but ultimately, the State Attorney’s Office will decide whether the officer faces charges.”We tried a lot of vehicular manslaughter cases, and I don’t want to speak about this specific case, because it is fresh, it’s open, it’s ongoing,” State Attorney Monique Worrell said Thursday.92-year-old Milagros Ortiz’s daughters told WESH 2 Investigates on Tuesday there needs to be accountability for the death of their family’s matriarch.”And now that my mother’s gone, he needs to be charged with vehicular manslaughter,” Judy Santiago said in an exclusive interview with WESH 2 Investigates. “I don’t know if that’s the right term, whatever, but he needs to be charged for taking my mother’s life.”“Millie” Ortiz took her last breath Monday evening. She was hospitalized after the early Sunday morning car crash with the Orlando Police vehicle.A friend, who was also injured, was driving Ortiz home in a Jeep Patriot from their weekly bingo game.”My suggestion, it kind of look like, he got tired of waiting at the light,” witness Jose Rodriguez said.Rodriguez recalled the cop car entering the intersection of Semoran Boulevard and Hoffner Avenue while the light was still red.”From what I saw, I saw that the bottom lights were on,” Rodriguez said. “He turned them all. He didn’t turn no sirens on or nothing. And he just started creeping out.”The initial crash report from Orlando Police, provided by Millie’s family, said the marked police vehicle was at fault due to failure to yield right of way.WESH 2 Investigates asked Worrell on Thursday what it takes to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that someone committed vehicular manslaughter.”Essentially, it has to be more than an accident,” she said. “There has to be a component of recklessness that’s involved. And if there is criminal liability, then the jury will bring back, will bring back a verdict, as such, and as they have done in all those cases.”During the presentation on her first year back in office, Worrell said her prosecutors had a 100 percent conviction rates for traffic homicides in 2025.WESH 2 Investigates also asked Worrell whether she has confidence in the ability of Orlando Police to investigate a crash involving one of their own.”I have confidence that ultimately the right thing is going to be done, and we’ll be able to know whether or not there is criminal liability to be had in this case,” she said.The initial crash report mentioned there is video from the intersection that corroborated a witness account.Orlando Police have not said whether the officer was on or off duty.A statement three hours after WESH 2 Investigates initial reported aired on Tuesday, police said they are not providing any more information “to preserve the integrity of the investigation.”There is also an internal review of the officer’s actions.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
WESH 2 Investigates continues pressing for answers after a 92-year-old grandmother died following a car crash last weekend with an Orlando Police cruiser.
The traffic homicide unit from Orlando PD is investigating, but ultimately, the State Attorney’s Office will decide whether the officer faces charges.
“We tried a lot of vehicular manslaughter cases, and I don’t want to speak about this specific case, because it is fresh, it’s open, it’s ongoing,” State Attorney Monique Worrell said Thursday.
92-year-old Milagros Ortiz’s daughters told WESH 2 Investigates on Tuesday there needs to be accountability for the death of their family’s matriarch.
“And now that my mother’s gone, he needs to be charged with vehicular manslaughter,” Judy Santiago said in an exclusive interview with WESH 2 Investigates. “I don’t know if that’s the right term, whatever, but he needs to be charged for taking my mother’s life.”
“Millie” Ortiz took her last breath Monday evening. She was hospitalized after the early Sunday morning car crash with the Orlando Police vehicle.
A friend, who was also injured, was driving Ortiz home in a Jeep Patriot from their weekly bingo game.
“My suggestion, it kind of look like, he got tired of waiting at the light,” witness Jose Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez recalled the cop car entering the intersection of Semoran Boulevard and Hoffner Avenue while the light was still red.
“From what I saw, I saw that the bottom lights were on,” Rodriguez said. “He turned them all. He didn’t turn no sirens on or nothing. And he just started creeping out.”
The initial crash report from Orlando Police, provided by Millie’s family, said the marked police vehicle was at fault due to failure to yield right of way.
WESH 2 Investigates asked Worrell on Thursday what it takes to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that someone committed vehicular manslaughter.
“Essentially, it has to be more than an accident,” she said. “There has to be a component of recklessness that’s involved. And if there is criminal liability, then the jury will bring back, will bring back a verdict, as such, and as they have done in all those cases.”
During the presentation on her first year back in office, Worrell said her prosecutors had a 100 percent conviction rates for traffic homicides in 2025.
WESH 2 Investigates also asked Worrell whether she has confidence in the ability of Orlando Police to investigate a crash involving one of their own.
“I have confidence that ultimately the right thing is going to be done, and we’ll be able to know whether or not there is criminal liability to be had in this case,” she said.
The initial crash report mentioned there is video from the intersection that corroborated a witness account.
Orlando Police have not said whether the officer was on or off duty.
A statement three hours after WESH 2 Investigates initial reported aired on Tuesday, police said they are not providing any more information “to preserve the integrity of the investigation.”
There is also an internal review of the officer’s actions.