The following is a NEWS RELEASE by Auburndale Police Department:
On April 2, 2025, at approximately 6:19 PM, officers responded to a hit-and-run incident with injuries at the intersection of Reiter Drive and Robert Avenue in Auburndale. The collision involved a six-year-old juvenile who was struck by a silver Mazda SUV bearing Florida license plate CE25RH. Witnesses reported that the vehicle fled the scene but remained within the neighborhood. Emergency medical personnel treated the juvenile at the scene before airlifting them to Tampa General Hospital, where they were listed in stable condition.
Following an extensive search, officers located the suspect vehicle at 3032 Robert Avenue #B in Auburndale. Contact was made with Cheryl Ann Alexander (W/F, DOB: March 29, 1957), the registered owner of the vehicle. Initially, Alexander denied any knowledge of the incident. However, further investigation revealed a piece of the vehicle’s grill at the crash site that matched her SUV. Alexander later admitted that her daughter, Shannon Marie Hudson (W/F, DOB: May 6, 1990) had been driving the vehicle but claimed Hudson had left hours before the crash.
After additional inconsistencies in Alexander’s statements, Sgt. Lahr requested permission to search the residence. Alexander ultimately confessed that Hudson was hiding inside the home and admitted she had lied to protect her from getting arrested. Officers located Hudson concealed in a bathroom. She was identified as the driver through witness confirmation and subsequently arrested. Post-Miranda, Hudson confessed to fleeing the scene due to only possessing a learner’s permit. Cheryl Ann Alexander was also arrested for providing false information during an investigation.
