*Update*
Driver with Learners Permit Arrested for Hit-and-Run After Striking child
Auburndale, FL – On April 2, 2025, at around 6:19 PM, a hit-and-run incident at the intersection of Reiter Drive and Robert Avenue left a six-year-old juvenile injured. The child was struck by a silver Mazda SUV, which fled the scene but stayed within the neighborhood, according to witnesses. Emergency responders treated the juvenile on-site before airlifting them to Tampa General Hospital, where they were reported in stable condition.
After an extensive search, Auburndale police located the suspect vehicle at 3032 Robert Avenue #B. The registered owner, Cheryl Ann Alexander (DOB: March 29, 1957), initially denied knowledge of the incident. However, a piece of the vehicle’s grill found at the crash site matched her SUV, leading Alexander to admit that her daughter, Shannon Marie Hudson (DOB: May 6, 1990), had been driving. She claimed Hudson left hours earlier, but inconsistencies in her story prompted Sgt. Lahr to request a search of the residence.
Alexander then confessed that Hudson was hiding inside and that she had lied to protect her. Officers found Hudson concealed in a bathroom, and witnesses confirmed her as the driver. Post-Miranda, Hudson admitted to fleeing the scene because she only had a learner’s permit. She was arrested for leaving the scene of a crash with injuries, while Alexander was arrested for providing false information during the investigation. The case remains under investigation by the Auburndale Police Department.
– – Initial Report – –
April 2, 2025 – Auburndale, FL – A child was struck by a vehicle on Wednesday evening, according to Auburndale Fire Rescue, resulting in serious injuries. The incident took place at approximately 7:33 PM near the intersection of Reiter Dr and Berkley Rd. Auburndale Police and Auburndale Fire Rescue quickly arrived at the scene to assist the injured child.
Rescue crews established a landing zone in the Berkley Chapel parking lot, where the pediatric patient was airlifted to a local hospital under a trauma alert. The child’s condition remains unknown at this time. Auburndale Police are currently investigating.
While at the scene, I spoke with a churchgoer who had arrived for an evening congregation at Berkley Chapel. “I’m heartbroken to hear about this (accident) , It’s devastating,” she told me. She expressed her concerns about the heavy pedestrian traffic in the area, adding, “Others have been injured by vehicles here in the past. It’s something we’ve seen before, and it’s really worrying.” Her concerns are valid, as Berkeley Road is no stranger to vehicle vs. pedestrian incidents. In recent years, the City of Auburndale has added two pedestrian crosswalks on Berkley Road to address safety issues.
There were no reported roadblocks, and traffic along Berkeley Road remained unaffected by the incident. Nothing further at this time.
