A Florida police officer is recovering after an illegal immigrant crashed into his patrol car last week.
Belle Isle police officer Jacob Tapia was injured on April 3 after Paula Hernandez Lazaro crashed into his patrol vehicle after failing to yield while making a left turn. Lazaro, who was driving without a license, hit Tapia’s car so hard that it went off the road and collided with a tree and a fence.
The officer was treated at Orlando Regional Medical Center for minor injuries and was released the same day.
“He’s expected to make a full recovery and will be following up to ensure there are no lingering issues,” the department said.
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The department said this was the second time Lazaro was cited for driving without a license.
Upon further investigation, Belle Isle police discovered Lazaro was in the United States illegally. She was arrested and charged with operating a vehicle without a valid license and unauthorized entry into Florida.
Belle Isle Police Chief Travis Grimm told FOX 35 Orlando that the Florida Highway Patrol is handling the investigation.
Lazaro’s citizenship status was looked into when she handed a state trooper her Mexican passport without a stamp for entry into the U.S. She has been living in Florida for about 11 years and entered the country illegally through Texas.
Grimm said Florida Highway Patrol troopers have undergone the training necessary to handle and arrest suspected illegal immigrants.
“FHP has gone through the training already with ICE,” Grimm said. “I don’t want to speak on their behalf, but they’ve already gotten the clearance and the latitude to be able to use those authorities.”
Belle Isle police thanked the community for checking in on the injured officer over the past week.
“Your support means the world to him and to all of us. It’s genuinely amazing to serve a community that cares so deeply about its police officers,” the department wrote on Facebook.
