ORLANDO – Florida Highway Patrol investigators now say a deadly hit-and-run crash on Interstate 4 that killed three people may have come down to witnesses misidentifying the color of the SUV involved, according to newly released court documents obtained by News6.
The new records outline how investigators shifted focus from 23-year-old Lindsey Isaacs, who was originally arrested in the case, to 47-year-old Alisa Lee Montalvo, who now faces nine charges connected to the crash.
Recommended Videos
The October 2025 crash in Volusia County killed Flagler County Deputy Administrator Jorge Salinas, his wife and a motorcyclist. A fourth victim survived with serious injuries.
According to an arrest affidavit, investigators now believe Montalvo was driving a maroon Dodge Durango the night of the crash. However, witnesses initially described the SUV as black.
That detail became critical to the investigation.
FHP investigators originally focused on Isaacs because she owned a black Dodge Durango matching witness descriptions and appearing on nearby Flock cameras around the time of the crash, records show.
On Oct. 10, troopers obtained a search warrant for Isaacs’ vehicle after investigators reported finding smudges they believed were consistent with the crash. Isaacs was arrested April 16 and booked into the Volusia County Jail.
But after Isaacs’ arrest, the State Attorney’s Office requested assistance from FHP’s Specialized Investigation and Reconstruction Team, or SIRT, after identifying discrepancies in the original investigation.
According to the affidavit, the SIRT investigation determined the crash occurred on a dark stretch of I-4 with little lighting, and investigators concluded witnesses could have easily mistaken Montalvo’s maroon Dodge Durango for Isaacs’ black SUV.
The affidavit also reveals new details about the moments leading up to the crash.
Investigators say a witness told them Montalvo had been with a group of motorcycle riders and friends in Sanford before everyone eventually traveled onto Interstate 4 that night.
According to investigators, the witness said Montalvo later left alone in her maroon Dodge Durango and traveled eastbound alongside the group of motorcycles.
A 911 caller later reported seeing the maroon SUV driving recklessly and dangerously close to one of the motorcycles moments before the crash, according to the affidavit.
The caller told investigators he saw the SUV and motorcycle disappear in front of a large truck before coming upon the crash scene seconds later.
Investigators say Montalvo briefly pulled onto the shoulder after the collision before driving away.
Montalvo is charged with three counts of vehicular homicide, three counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving death, leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury, reckless driving causing serious bodily injury and tampering with physical evidence.
According to court records, the tampering charge stems from allegations that Montalvo attempted to repair damage to the SUV days after the crash.
Investigators say Montalvo brought the Dodge Durango to a man in Altamonte Springs for repairs. The man later provided investigators with photos of the damage, pictures of an airbag found in the backseat and receipts showing Montalvo paid for repairs, records state.
In a motion for pretrial detention, prosecutors wrote, “While this case received extensive media coverage, the Defendant failed to contact law enforcement to report the crash, and instead took steps to conceal it.”
Montalvo is being held in the Volusia County Jail without bond and is expected back in court within the next five days.
Meanwhile, prosecutors formally declined to pursue charges against Isaacs after she spent 13 days in jail.
Isaacs’ attorney, Patrick McGeehan, criticized FHP investigators and called for accountability.
“The person that should be here is Colonel Gary Helm, who’s the director of FHP,” McGeehan said. “He should be here explaining to you how this happened, how an innocent woman was put in the county jail for 13 days on a crime. She wasn’t even on the scene.”
Isaacs also spoke publicly after her release.
“I feel there’s really no way of correcting what they did to me,” Isaacs said. “It will always hurt me, my reputation, when I’m still receiving death threats and hate. It’s very hard.”
McGeehan said his team is now exploring possible legal action against FHP.
News 6 reached out to FHP asking whether investigators believe mistakes were made in Isaacs’ arrest and what changes, if any, may be implemented moving forward.
FHP did not answer those questions but said the case remains an active and ongoing criminal investigation.