Undocumented immigrant crashes into patrol car, sends Belle Isle officer to hospital: police
Undocumented immigrant crashes into patrol car: Police
An arrest has been made following the crash that sent a Belle Isle police officer to the hospital after a patrol car and another vehicle collided last week.
ORLANDO, Fla. - An arrest has been made following the crash that sent a Belle Isle police officer to the hospital after a patrol car and another vehicle collided last week. Police said the woman arrested was driving without a license, and she has been identified as an undocumented immigrant.
The Belle Isle Police Department said the officer involved in the crash was treated for minor injuries and is expected to make a full recovery.
Arrest made in officer-involved crash
What we know:
Police said they have arrested Paula Hernandez Lazaro for the crash.
Reports show this was Lazaro's second offense for driving without a licence, and she had entered the United States illegally.
Authorities said Lazaro is facing charges of operating a vehicle without a valid license and unauthorized entry into Florida.
Police said Paula Hernandez Lazaro was arrested on charges involving operating a vehicle without a valid license and unauthorized entry into Florida. (Credit: Belle Isle Police Department)
‘Proud to serve a community that always steps up for its officers’
What they're saying:
A woman was discovered to be in the country illegally after crashing into a Belle Isle Police car on April 4.
"Not only did she have a few arrests for driving without a license, never having a license," said Bell Isle Police Chief Travis Grimm. "She was also an illegal status, and they were putting a detainer on her."
Chief Grimm said the Florida Highway Patrol is handling the investigation and began looking into her citizenship status when she gave the trooper her Mexican passport, which wasn’t stamped for entry into the U.S.
"FHP has gone through the training already with ICE," said Chief Grimm. "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."
Investigators said Hernandez Lazaro entered the United States illegally through Texas and has been living in Florida for around 11 years. Chief Grimm said FHP has been trained to handle and arrest people suspected of entering the country illegally.
"They’ve been doing it," said Chief Grimm. "Last time we sat down and talked with FHP, they are ramping up."
A Belle Isle police officer was taken to hospital after a patrol car and another vehicle collided last week, police said. (Credit: Belle Isle Police Department)
The Belle Isle Police Department shared an update about the officer's condition on social media on Wednesday afternoon. Police said Officer Jacob Tapia is doing well, and they are "proud to serve a community that always steps up for its officers."
"We want to thank everyone for the calls, texts and messages checking in on Officer Tapia," the department said. "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."
Crash sends officer to hospital
The backstory:
Shortly after 6:15 a.m. on Thursday, April 3, the Florida Highway Patrol said they responded to the intersection of Jason Street and Oak Ridge Road for a crash involving a Belle Isle Police Department patrol car and another vehicle.
Police said the vehicle failed to yield while making a left turn, and it struck Tapia’s marked patrol unit. The impact sent Tapia's vehicle off the road, where it collided with a fence and tree, troopers said.
Belle Isle police officer involved in crash
A Belle Isle police officer was taken to a local hospital following a crash in Orange County on Thursday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The crash happened at E Oak Ridge Road and Lacona Drive in Orlando.
The Belle Isle police officer, Tapia, was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center.
Later that day, police said Tapia only suffered from minor cuts and bruises, and he was released from the hospital later that day.
What's next:
Paula Hernandez Lazaro, 30, is now behind bars at the Orange County Jail being held on an immigration detainer charged with unauthorized entry into the state of Florida and operating a vehicle without a valid license, which she’s been charged with twice before.
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The Source: This story was written based on information gathered from previous reporting, as well as information shared by the Belle Isle Police Department in a Facebook post on April 9, 2025.