The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit is investigating a double-fatal crash that occurred last night on Kathleen Road in Lakeland. Preliminary information is as follows:
On Saturday, November 29, 2025, a 911 call was received at 5:47 p.m. regarding a multi-vehicle crash in front of Nick and Moe’s gas station, 4410 Kathleen Road. When first responders arrived, two people were already deceased. Three other involved parties were transported to LRHMC due to their injuries, which were non-life-threatening.
The vehicles and parties involved were:
A 2024 Nissan car being driven by 23-year-old Rylee Hill (female) of Fort Meade, deceased;
A 2024 Kia car, being driven by 48-year-old Emily Placeres of Lakeland, transported with non-life-threatening injuries; her passengers were not injured.
A 2021 Dodge Ram truck, being driven by 53-year-old Chad Hiltner of Lakeland, not injured;
A 2024 Audi SUV, being driven by 25-year-old Brock Hiltner (Chad’s son) of Michigan, transported with non-life-threatening injuries; his passenger, 79-year-old Annette Zalner (Chad’s mother, Brock’s grandmother) of Lakeland, suffered fatal injuries. Another passenger in this vehicle was transported.
According to the investigation so far, the Nissan was traveling along the curve that moves from west to north when it failed to negotiate the curve, and crossed over the center grass median, where it briefly went airborne, then struck the front left quarter panel of the Kia. The Nissan then hit the Dodge truck and continued moving west, striking the Audi SUV head-on, killing the passenger in the Audi and the driver of the Nissan.
Excessive speed on the part of the Nissan driver is suspected. The investigation is ongoing, and Kathleen Road was shut down for approximately six hours last night.
