Investigators said vehicle debris helped them identify a Hyundai Sonata and trace the crash to 21-year-old Keila Maldonado.
DANIA BEACH, FL — A 21-year-old Miami woman was arrested after Broward sheriff’s investigators said she drove away after striking and killing a pedestrian early Saturday on Sheridan Street in Dania Beach.
Keila Maldonado faces one count of failing to stop and remain at the scene of an accident involving death and one count of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office. A judge set her bond at $51,000 during a court appearance Sunday, according to local news reports. The allegations have not been proven in court.
The crash was reported at about 1:32 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, near the 200 block of Sheridan Street. Deputies and Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue crews responded and found an adult man lying in the roadway. Fire rescue personnel pronounced him dead at the scene. Authorities had not publicly released his name as of Sunday.
Investigators said the man had been crossing the westbound lanes of Sheridan Street when he was struck by a Hyundai Sonata. The driver did not remain at the scene, according to the sheriff’s office. Detectives with the agency’s Traffic Homicide Unit began examining debris left in the roadway and determined that the vehicle involved was a Hyundai Sonata from the 2024 through 2026 model years.
An arrest report cited by CBS News Miami said investigators found an identification number on a piece of debris recovered from the crash scene. Authorities later received information that the suspected vehicle was at a dealership in North Miami Beach. Investigators found a 2025 Hyundai Sonata secured in a parking garage there, according to the report.
The arrest report said Maldonado worked at the dealership and had allegedly taken the vehicle without the dealership’s permission. According to the report, she spoke with an employee about damage to the car and said she had struck someone. A security manager secured the vehicle, and an employee contacted authorities, CBS News Miami reported.
According to the same arrest report, Maldonado told investigators she had taken the vehicle to the beach before the crash. The report also said she drove to a nearby shopping plaza afterward and watched emergency crews respond before leaving without speaking to law enforcement. Those statements are allegations contained in the investigative record and have not been tested in court.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office said detectives identified Maldonado as the driver after locating the vehicle. She was taken into custody and booked into the Broward Main Jail. Local 10 reported that she remained jailed Sunday afternoon on the $51,000 bond.
The sheriff’s office has not released the pedestrian’s identity, citing protections under Florida’s Marsy’s Law. Authorities also have not announced additional charges or released further information about the circumstances that led to the collision. The Traffic Homicide Unit handled the investigation.
Author note: Last updated October 18, 2026.