Lt. Gov. Jay Collins of Florida made a cross-country journey to hold a press conference at the Stockton Metropolitan Airport in the San Joaquin Valley, where he was escorting Harjinder Singh, an immigrant accused of killing three Floridians in a traffic crash, back to Florida.
But Collins didn’t stop there—he used the moment to slam California Gov. Gavin Newsom for what he called “failed policies” on immigration.
“Gavin Newsom continues to care more about tweets and what goes out on social media than taking care of the American citizens and the citizens of California. It’s ridiculous,” Collins said, adding, “I am not some run-of-the-mill lieutenant governor.”
The crash occurred on Aug. 12 when Singh, a Stockton resident originally from India and legally allowed to work in the country, allegedly made an illegal U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike near Fort Pierce while driving a semi-trailer. The maneuver led to a collision with a Chrysler minivan, killing three people from Miami, Pompano Beach, and Florida City.
Why was Singh allowed to leave Florida after fatal crash?
Despite the severity of the incident, Singh was not arrested at the scene. At a press conference in Stockton, Lt. Gov. Collins declined to answer a reporter’s question about why the Florida Highway Patrol didn’t detain Singh immediately following the crash. That unanswered question has sparked criticism and confusion, especially as Singh was able to return to California before being taken into custody.
Related: California trucker faces deportation after fatal crash on Florida turnpike
The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Singh is expected to arrive at the jail there by Aug. 22 to face three counts of vehicular homicide. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles stated that Singh entered the U.S. illegally through the Mexico border in 2018 and was issued a commercial driver’s license in California.
Newsom vs. DeSantis: Immigration clash goes national
The incident has reignited tensions between Newsom and Republican leaders like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. On Fox News, DeSantis criticized Newsom for focusing on social media antics instead of public safety.
“Why is he spending all this time trying to be fresh with President Trump? Why doesn’t he do his job and protect the people?” DeSantis said. “Three of our fellow citizens are dead because of his sanctuary policies.”
Newsom, known for his combative presence on X, has recently mocked Trump and other GOP officials, including DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, over redistricting and immigration enforcement.
California’s DMV defends licensing process
In response to criticism, the California Department of Motor Vehicles said it followed all federal and state laws when issuing and renewing Singh’s commercial license. The agency confirmed that the federal government had verified Singh’s legal presence in the U.S. at the time of issuance.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security blamed Newsom’s policies for the deaths of the three Florida residents, who have not yet been publicly named.
The Stockton Record contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Florida Lt. Gov. slams Newsom, escorts crash suspect from California
