An unlicensed driver accused of entering the United States illegally is facing several charges after she was involved in a crash that injured a Belle Isle Police Department officer.
According to BIPD, the collision occurred shortly after 6 a.m. on Thursday, April 3. The officer’s marked patrol vehicle was at the intersection of Jason Street and Oak Ridge Road when another vehicle failed to yield while making a left turn.
That second vehicle was being driven by a woman, identified as Paula Hernandez Lazaro.
The police department stated that Lazaro’s vehicle proceeded to strike the officer’s marked truck at the intersection.
After the initial impact, the officer’s truck veered off the road before colliding with a fence and tree.
BIPD stated that the officer sustained “minor injuries” and was released from the hospital the same day. The officer is expected to make a full recovery.
During an investigation into the crash, BIPD discovered that Lazaro was “unlicensed, with this being her second offense for driving without a license.” Investigators also learned that Lazaro had “no legal status in the U.S. and had entered the country illegally,” according to police.
Lazaro was placed under arrest and transported to Orange County Jail. She is being charged with operating a vehicle without a valid license and unauthorized entry into the state of Florida.