TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Lt. Col. Jay Collins flew to California on Thursday and returned to Florida to personally hand over the fatal crash suspect.
“We’ve finished it (let’s comment),” Collins said.
The lieutenant governor, along with California Governor Gavin Newsom, criticized California’s immigration policy. Collins said state leaders haven’t done enough to fight illegal immigration.
Florida’s battle over the map of Congress is heated
“This isn’t business as usual. This isn’t politics as usual,” Collins said.
Collins was alongside law enforcement to face three vehicle murders to bring Indian immigrant Haljinder Singh back to Florida. This follows the crash that included his semi-truck, which left three South Florida people in St. Lucie County’s deaths last week.
Collins also said Singh has obtained a commercial driver’s license from California.
“Because when this tragic accident happened and three Florida lives were lost, he returned to California,” Collins said.
A recently appointed state leader was asked why law enforcement is not retrieving suspects.
“Leadership is standing on the ground and saying difficult things. This is not the grass in our home,” Collins replied.
The Florida Highway Patrol said Singh used the official use area to make illegal U-turns on the turnpike when he crossed in front of a minivan last week. According to Collins, in 2018, Singh illegally crossed the southern border and then went to California. As a result, the lieutenant governor was seeking answers.
“Why was he driving in the first place? He didn’t have basic English proficiency. He didn’t know any road signs, but he drives huge cars all across our state,” Collins said.
Rep. Alex Andrade, a Republican from the Panhandle, questioned why Collins was able to put his hands on detainees when he was not a sworn law enforcement officer. He called it a political stunt.
A Florida Democratic spokesman sent the following statement:
“This is another expensive political stunt from the DeSantis administration on taxpayer dimes. While LG Collins is flying around the country for political theatres in empty parking lots, Florida’s Dem is striving to help Floridians navigate this affordable crisis and keep their hard-earned money in their pockets.
