VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The Dodge Durango State Troopers originally said caused a triple fatal crash on I-4 is no longer in the Florida Highway Patrol’s custody.
Only Channel 9 was at the tow yard when it was inspected and removed Tuesday.
Friday, we broke the news that all charges were dropped for Lindsay Isaacs, the owner of that car. Then on Saturday, prosecutors announced the arrest of Alisa Montalvo.
Eyewitness News is asking if the troopers involved in this investigation are going to be investigated or even face charges.
Lindsay Isaacs arrest affidavit said her car had damage and accused her of driving at aggressively high speeds. Channel 9 Volusia County Reporter Demie Johnson walked through the tow yard to see the car and didn’t see any damage.
“How do you feel looking at it now?” Demie asked Isaacs.
“I can’t believe my beautiful Dodge Durango is in front of me. First time seeing it in 8 months,” said Isaacs.
The Durango is now in her defense team’s custody as they prepare for a civil lawsuit for her wrongful arrest.
“We are going to move it to inside secure storage at one of our facilities too keep it like it is, like we found it,” said her attorney Patrick McGeehan.
FHP investigators originally accused Isaacs of causing the crash because her car appeared on license plate reader near the scene and had smudges on it. But prosecutors became concerned with the lack of evidence, including the fact that Isaacs’ car had no damage consistent with a crash.
John Buchanan, who is an expert witness in accident reconstruction, was hired by Isaacs’s defense team.
“None of the evidence matched up, that’s number one. Number 2 is when they brought the vehicles here given the hit and run where you’re going to need paint transfers and other things, those vehicles need to be placed in inside storage and secured,” said Buchanan.
Buchanan also said the sergeant responsible for this investigation should be investigated.
“There’s absolutely no damage consistent with a triple fatal multiple vehicle crash that the most basic investigator should be looking for in a crash like this,” said Buchanan.
So, do you think she should face charges? Demie asked Buchanan.
“I think they need to take a really hard look at this one,” said Buchanan.
Alisa Montalvo is now under arrest after a higher-level team of investigators got involved. Her warrant shows interviews from witnesses who were never contacted.
The team uncovered a 911 call that described the car as maroon – not black. Investigators also learned Montalvo’s car had body work done after the crash and the onboard computer showed her driving 112 miles per hour before the crash.
“We’re not having a hard time finding out what went wrong, we’re having a hard time finding out what went right,” said McGeehan.
McGeehan said he now has meetings scheduled with the head of FHP, The State Attorney General and the State Attorney’s Office to discuss what will happen to the troopers who investigated this crash.
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