A Florida family has voiced their outrage after prosecutors declined to file charges against an Orlando cop following a crash that killed a 92-year-old woman.
Milagros “Millie” Ortiz died on January 19, 2026, a day after the vehicle in which she was being driven home was struck by the officer at an intersection.
According to the Orlando Police Department’s preliminary crash report, which was obtained by People, the crash unfolded as Ortiz returned with a neighbor from a bingo night. That same report stated that the police vehicle “was at fault for the collision due to failure to yield right of way.”
In a June 5 news release obtained by Fox 35, the State Attorney's Office for the Ninth Judicial Circuit confirmed that it was not going to file charges against the officer. No charges were ever recommended, according to the release.
In a statement given to WESH 2, State Attorney Monique Worrell’s office said the case was not referred to the office for prosecution and the department proactively requested the investigation.
“What we hope the Ortiz family and this community know - above all else - is that Ms. Milagros Ortiz was seen. Her life mattered,” the statement read. “And this review was conducted in a manner worthy of her.”
A case deposition memo seen by the outlet revealed that the officer’s attorney said that his client had been “attempting to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle that had made an illegal U-turn” at the intersection.
The State Attorney's Office for the Ninth Judicial Circuit told Fox 35 that an investigation determined that the officer drove at less than 20 mph into the intersection and did not drive recklessly. The release also suggested that his emergency lights may have suffered a “mechanical failure mid-intersection.”
The State Attorney's Office said it would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer drove recklessly or with a willful or wanton disregard.
The Orlando Police Department confirmed to Fox 35 that it supports the State Attorney’s decision, but that its own internal investigation was still underway.
However, Ortiz’s family told the outlet that they disagree with the State Attorney’s Office’s decision and that they have hired an attorney to explore other legal avenues.
Evelyn Alicea, Ortiz’s daughter, said that she believes the crash could have been avoided. She also questioned why the officer’s vehicle, which had a documented history of issues, was allowed on the roads.
“Why was that car on the road?” asked Alicea. “You never would expect something like this to come from a police officer.”
Alicea said that there were multiple witnesses to the crash and that their reports do not match the State Attorney’s Office’s statement.
“My family will not stop fighting for the truth and the justice that my mother deserves,” Alicea said.
Speaking to People, Alicea said that it was not unusual for her mother to come home late.
On the night of the crash, she says that she had been tracking her mom’s location when she received a call from a stranger. As the stranger told her about what had unfolded, she could hear Ortiz complaining of chest pains.
“When I got that call and to find out it was a police officer that actually ran a red light, had no lights and sirens, that's what's really struck the hardest," Alicea says. “That's why this has been so hard. They're supposed to serve and protect the community.”
The family told People that both Alicea and her sister, Judy Santiago, raced to the hospital, where they spoke with their mom before she underwent surgery. Ortiz had suffered injuries to her ribs, torso and liver and had fractured multiple vertebrae.
The Independent has contacted the Orlando Police Department for comment.
