Hazel Krauss was just 19 years old when her life came to a sudden end on a Gainesville street late Saturday night. The University of Florida student died after a vehicle struck her while she was crossing West University Avenue near the 2300 block on October 24, 2026. The crash happened at about 11:33 p.m., leaving a young woman with her future ahead of her fighting for her life before she died at a local hospital.
According to police, the driver was traveling eastbound when the vehicle swerved to avoid another car. During the maneuver, the vehicle struck Krauss and then collided with the other car. What began as an attempt to avoid one collision ended in a crash that claimed the life of a young woman.
A registered nurse who came upon the scene stopped to help Krauss while emergency crews were on their way. The nurse remained with her and tried to provide assistance until emergency medical services arrived. Krauss was then rushed to UF Health Shands Hospital, where she later died from her injuries.
The nurse’s decision to stop and help brought a measure of care to an otherwise devastating scene. In a moment when everything had changed for Krauss, someone stayed beside her and tried to help. The nurse later said she wanted Krauss’s loved ones to know that she was not alone and that people at the scene had done what they could for her.
Krauss was a freshman at the University of Florida and was studying at the Warrington College of Business. She was also a member of the Delta Gamma sorority. Originally from Chicago, she had begun a new chapter of her life in Gainesville, pursuing her education and building connections with other students.
At 19, Krauss was still at the beginning of adulthood. College life offered opportunities to learn, make friends and plan for the years ahead. Her death has left a painful loss for the people who knew her and those who had begun sharing this stage of life with her.
The circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation by the Gainesville Police Department. Investigators said the driver who struck Krauss was not intoxicated, addressing rumors that circulated online after the incident. As of the latest reports, no arrest had been made in connection with the fatal collision.
A separate incident occurred while officers were investigating the crash. Another driver reportedly ignored a police vehicle blocking traffic and drove through the scene. That driver was arrested on a driving-under-the-influence charge. Authorities have made clear that the arrest was separate from the crash that killed Krauss.
For her family, friends and fellow students, the loss of a 19-year-old woman is more than a police investigation or a traffic report. It is the loss of someone whose life was still unfolding, with years of experiences and opportunities that will now remain beyond reach. As investigators work to establish the full circumstances of the collision, those who knew Krauss are left to face a loss that came far too soon.
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