Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Sanford City Worker Charged in Deadly Hit‑and‑Run Is Granted Bond

Police say the city dump truck struck cyclist Manuel Martinez then fled, prompting a criminal investigation and an internal city suspension.

Overview

  • A City of Sanford dump truck struck bicyclist Manuel Martinez at the intersection of W. Airport Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and Martinez later died at a hospital.
  • Officers identified and arrested 46‑year‑old city employee Shawannia Smith and charged her with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and cited her for failing to yield to a cyclist.
  • Smith was granted a $15,000 bond after prosecutors reviewed dashcam footage that investigators say shows the truck make contact with Martinez and then speed away.
  • The City of Sanford placed Smith on suspension while saying it is cooperating with the Sanford Police Department, which has classified the case as a traffic homicide and is seeking public tips through Crimeline.
  • The case highlights questions about cyclist right‑of‑way and intersection safety and may prompt civil or administrative action; Smith’s next court date is scheduled for September 8.