Woman arrested for two hit-and-run incidents after one of the victims helped box in her vehicle

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Maureen Nicole Nida, 44, was arrested yesterday after allegedly hitting two cars and then fleeing; one of the victims reportedly followed her vehicle and helped to block it in behind a patrol vehicle.

A Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officer reported that at about 7 p.m. on February 9, Nida was turning south from SW Archer Road onto SW 35th Boulevard when her car drove up on the outside curb for unknown reasons and then overcorrected and accelerated, sideswiping another vehicle. Nida allegedly continued driving south on SW 35th Boulevard and hit the front of a second vehicle. Nida allegedly accelerated away and drove into a dark area behind Kohl’s and then toward SW 34th Street, where she stopped behind a GPD officer’s patrol car at a stop sign. The second victim reportedly followed Nida’s car and drove up past her car when it was stopped to prevent Nida from driving away; that victim got out of her car and flagged down the officer who was stopped in front of Nida’s car.

The officer reported that four witnesses said that they saw Nida’s vehicle hit the vehicles of both victims before speeding away into the Kohl’s parking lot; all four witnesses said they heard Nida’s tires squealing as she fled.

Post Miranda, Nida reportedly denied fleeing from the scene of the accidents and said she was trying to drive to a safe place, but the officer noted that she passed “numerous” well-lit and safe places and drove all the way to SW 34th Street before she was stopped. The officer noted that although she was stopped behind a patrol car, Nida made no attempt to notify law enforcement about the crashes and drove 1,000 feet from the crash before being blocked in by the patrol car and the victim’s vehicle.

Nida has been charged with two counts of leaving the scene of a crash with property damage. She has two convictions for driving under the influence from incidents in 2002 and 2006. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $20,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.