Davenport woman killed Wednesday in Winter Haven crash
Cypress Gardens Boulevard in Winter Haven was closed for approximately three hours Wednesday morning, December 29, 2021, due to a fatal two-vehicle crash near Crystal’s Boulevard.
Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash at around 7:46 AM, along with Polk County Fire Rescue.
31-year old Jacqueline Padilla of Davenport was found with severe head trauma and transported to the hospital, but succumbed to her injuries a short time later.
Another person involved in the crash, 28-year old Shraddha Patel of Winter Haven, was not injured.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit assumed control of the investigation and found that Ms. Padilla was the driver of black 2009 Ford Escape, and Ms. Patel was the driver of a white 2017 Nissan Altima.
Collection of evidence, video, and witness statements helped detectives determine that Ms. Padilla’s Ford had been travelling east on Cypress Gardens Boulevard and Ms. Patel’s Nissan had been heading west.
In the area where Cypress Gardens Boulevard intersects with Crystal’s Boulevard, Ms. Patel performed a U-Turn, and while doing so, the Ford and Nissan made contact which caused the Ford to enter the median where it overturned several times.
Ms. Padilla was not wearing her seat belt, and the force of the vehicle rolling caused her to be ejected from her vehicle. She landed on the roadway and suffered serious injuries.
Ms. Patel had been wearing her seatbelt and was not injured.
The crash remains under investigation.
