The family of a 92-year-old Orlando woman who died after a collision with a police patrol vehicle has added new defendants to its $92 million wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Orlando, WKMG News 6 reported on October 22, 2026. It is not a Tacher Law case, and its allegations have not been proven.

What Was Reported

Milagros “Millie” Ortiz, 92, was riding in the front seat of a friend’s Jeep, heading home from bingo night, on January 18 when an Orlando police patrol vehicle entered the intersection of South Semoran Boulevard and Hoffner Avenue and collided with the Jeep. Ortiz later died at a hospital. Traffic camera video shows Officer Andrew McKuhen, who had reportedly spotted a driver making an illegal U-turn, activate his emergency lights entering the intersection; the lights appeared steady rather than flashing, then went dark seconds before the collision, and a witness did not recall a siren.

State Attorney Monique Worrell’s office declined to file criminal charges, citing a lack of evidence of reckless driving and no evidence the lights were intentionally turned off. The same review, however, noted the patrol vehicle had a history of light and siren problems — including a November 2025 work order, weeks before the crash, reporting the sirens were not working, after which no repair was completed. News 6 also reported the officer later received an 80-hour suspension after the department concluded he had driven unsafely.

The family is represented by attorney Benjamin Crump. The $92 million figure is symbolic — one million dollars for each year of Ortiz’s life, Crump has said. In July the family said the suit would also target the maker of the patrol car’s lights and the company maintaining the fleet, consistent with this week’s new defendants. The City has declined to comment. Sources: WKMG News 6 investigation into the crash and the planned lawsuit and News 6’s October 22 report that the family expanded the lawsuit.

What This Case Shows About Wrongful Death Claims Against a City

A decision not to file criminal charges does not decide a civil case. Criminal charges require proof beyond a reasonable doubt; a wrongful death claim uses the lower preponderance standard, and can reach defendants a criminal case never would — here, the vehicle’s maintenance history and light equipment, not only the driver. A filed lawsuit states only one side’s allegations; no court has decided liability or damages.

Claims against government agencies follow special rules. Florida law generally requires written pre-suit notice, and caps damages against a city at $200,000 per person and $300,000 per incident unless the Legislature passes a claim bill — so the amount a complaint seeks and the amount collectable from a city can differ sharply. Wrongful death claims generally must be filed within two years of the death. As general background, Florida negligence claims follow modified comparative negligence — recovery is reduced by the claimant’s fault percentage and barred if it exceeds 50% — while medical malpractice claims are the exception and still follow pure comparative negligence under Chapter 766.

Disclaimer: This report concerns other parties’ case, handled by other law firms. It is news reporting and general information, not legal advice. Past results in other cases do not guarantee a similar outcome in any other case.

If your family lost a loved one in a South Florida crash, Tacher Law can review what happened. Call us at +1 (305) 644-2211 for a free consultation, or reach us through our contact page.

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