DeSantis signs 2 bills stemming from Tampa Bay animal abuse cases
'This story is exactly the type of cruelty that we cannot tolerate in the free state of Florida,' DeSantis said.
Trooper's previous owner, who has since been charged with aggravated animal cruelty told authorities that he was evacuating to Georgia, and nobody would pick up the dog.
'That's bad enough, but the water was rising very quickly,' DeSantis said.
What's known as 'Trooper's Law' makes it a third-degree felony for abandoning or neglecting an animal during an emergency or natural disaster. If convicted, that's up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Trooper Orlando Morales rescued the dog and still keeps in touch with his new owners.
'He is doing absolutely amazing. I get pictures and videos,' Morales said.
DeSantis also signed a bill dubbed 'Dexter's Law' after a bull terrier was found decapitated last year in Fort De Soto Park in Pinellas County just days after being adopted.
Domingo Rodriguez was convicted earlier this year and sentenced to a year and 60 days in jail.
'Current sentencing guidelines don't match the gravity of these crimes and it was evident that Florida law needed to do more to protect dogs from senseless violence,' DeSantis said.
The new law offers tougher sentencing multipliers. That will give judges the ability to force someone to stay behind bars longer.
Animal Advocate Debbie Darino fought for the bill that will include a public database of those convicted or guilty of animal abuse.
'Dexter's Law seeks to deter animal cruelty and holds offenders more accountable for their actions,' Darino said.
On its website, the American Kennel Club has these two bills listed under 'monitor' meaning it does not support or oppose the measures.
Dexter's Law will go into effect on July 1st. Trooper's law will go into effect on October 1st.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
7 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
White House gets key facts wrong as it blames California for 3 traffic deaths in Florida
SACRAMENTO — The White House on Monday blamed California's 'sanctuary' policies for a fatal crash in Florida allegedly caused by an undocumented semitruck driver, even though state law does not allow undocumented immigrants to obtain commercial trucking licenses. The accusation prompted a new round of fighting between President Donald Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and became the latest tragedy to stand in for the broader debate about immigration. It appears that once again the White House has gotten key facts wrong as it attempts to seize on a devastating accident in order to harness public sympathy for its efforts to swiftly remove thousands of immigrants from the country. The White House has targeted California in particular as it carries out its deportation campaign, including by sending military troops into Los Angeles, and an incident last week in which Border Patrol officials crashed a Newsom press conference. Harjinder Singh, 28, of Stockton, was arrested on charges of vehicular homicide following the deaths of three people on the Florida turnpike last week. Florida Highway Patrol said Singh, the driver of the semitruck, 'recklessly, and without regard for the safety of others' attempted an illegal U-turn and hit a minivan. 'The illegal alien is an Indian national who was granted a commercial driver's license by the so-called 'sanctuary state' of California, whose reckless policies put the lives of American citizens at risk every single day,' White House staff wrote in a press release Monday morning. 'But instead of acknowledging the tragedy, criminal illegal alien sympathizer Gavin Newsom callously doubled down, claiming that giving driver's licenses to illegals 'improves public safety.'' The White House's characterization of Singh echoed similar accusations made by Florida law enforcement officials about the accident days earlier. Florida troopers said during the criminal investigation — which was assisted by ICE — investigators determined Singh entered the country illegally by crossing the Mexico border in 2018. The Highway Patrol said he obtained his commercial driving license in the state of California. Singh, however, was granted a federal work permit and appears to have an ongoing asylum claim allowing him to legally remain in the country while it makes its way through court. Federal court documents show that someone named Harjinder Singh was initially charged with illegal entry, a misdemeanor, shortly after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018, but the charges were dismissed the same year. In a transcript of court proceedings in the case, Singh's lawyer said his client was trying to obtain asylum. California lawmakers in 2013 passed a law allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers licenses. But that law explicitly does not apply to commercial licenses, a higher level of certification required for commercial truck drivers. California separately has a so-called sanctuary state law that limits when local police can cooperate with federal immigration agents, but it would not apply in a case like this because vehicular homicide is one of the many exemptions in the law. Both laws were signed into law by former Gov. Jerry Brown, Newsom's predecessor. Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson for Newsom, confirmed that Singh had a commercial drivers license, but blamed the Trump administration for granting Singh a work permit, which allowed him to obtain the license. 'He would have been eligible in any state,' she wrote. 'California followed federal law, something the President knows nothing about.' David Kerner, the head of Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, said Singh is now in custody on homicide charges and immigration violations. 'He will no longer be able to damage and destroy the lives of Floridians and visitors,' Kern said in a statement. 'At the conclusion of his state charges, he will be deported. The Florida Highway Patrol remains committed to enforcing both state and federal law to ensure that people that are a danger to others face justice behind bars.' Florida troopers responded to the crash on the afternoon Aug. 12 on Florida's Turnpike in St. Lucie County. Singh's semitruck was traveling north and began making a U-turn at an 'official use only' turnaround, which crossed all northbound lanes. Troopers said in a statement that the minivan's 30-year-old driver was unable to avoid the truck. The left side of the trailer collided with the van, wedging it beneath. The van's passengers, 37 and 54, died at the scene. The driver died a couple hours later from his injuries.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Driver of truck in fatal turnpike crash charged with homicide, immigration violation
FORT PIERCE — The driver of a tractor-trailer involved in an accident Aug. 12 that killed three people on Florida's Turnpike in St. Lucie County has been arrested on vehicular homicide charges and immigration violations, state officials said. Harjinder Singh was in the country illegally, having crossed into the United States from Mexico in 2018, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said Saturday, Aug. 16. Singh obtained a commercial driver's license in California, the department said. Florida Highway Patrol troopers charged Singh with three counts of vehicular homicide, then obtained an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement detainer for Singh, officials said. Dave Kerner, the department's executive director, said Singh, who is in custody, will be deported after the conclusion of his state charges. The crash occurred just before 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 12, near the turnpike's 171-mile marker near the northern border of St. Lucie County. Singh was traveling north in a 2024 International tractor-trailer when he attempted a U-turn in an 'official use only' area of the highway, FHP said in an Aug. 13 report about the crash. As he crossed over the northbound travel lanes to make his turn, a 2015 Chrysler Town & Country minivan also traveling north on the turnpike was unable to avoid hitting the truck and became wedged under the left side of the trailer, FHP said. Riding in the van were a 54-year-old man from Miami, a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach, and a 30-year-old man from Florida City. Two of them were pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver was taken to Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce, where he died that evening. FHP did not disclose the names of the three crash victims. Singh and his two passengers, California men ages 25 and 28, were not injured. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: State: Truck driver in fatal turnpike crash is illegal migrant
Newsweek
12 hours ago
- Newsweek
Republicans Pull 'Deport Depot' Merch After Home Depot Complains
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Republican Party of Florida has removed a line of merchandise after the items drew scrutiny for mimicking Home Depot's branding. The merchandise, called "The Deport Depot," included shirts, hats, and other items featuring a logo closely resembling the home improvement retailer's signature orange box and stenciled font. "We don't allow any organization to use our branding or logo for their commercial purposes," Sarah McDonald a spokesperson for The Home Depot told Newsweek. Newsweek has contacted the Florida GOP for comment via email. A Home Depot store is shown, in Bensalem, Pa., on March 14, 2022. A Home Depot store is shown, in Bensalem, Pa., on March 14, 2022. Matt Rourke/AP Why It Matters The merchandise was linked to a new immigrant detention facility recently announced by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. The facility, named the "Deportation Depot," is intended to house individuals detained for immigration violations. DeSantis unveiled the center earlier this month as part of his administration's broader efforts to increase immigration enforcement in Florida. The state of Florida has already opened up and begun detaining migrants in the highly talked about Alligator Alcatraz facility. What To Know Beth Marlowe, a spokesperson for The Home Depot, told the Tampa Bay Times that the company had not authorized the Florida GOP to use its branding or logo on any merchandise. Following the company's objection, the party removed the items from its website and discontinued their sale. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the items remained available for purchase as of Saturday, priced between $15 and $28, with each sale counted as a political contribution to the state's GOP. Both the merchandise and a related post on X were taken down a few hours after the story was first published by the outlet. The "Deport Depot" line marked the Florida Republicans' latest effort to monetize the state's immigration crackdown through merchandise. It wasn't the first time the party tied fundraising to policy rollouts. When DeSantis announced the opening of the Everglades-based "Alligator Alcatraz" detention facility, the GOP, including state Attorney General James Uthmeier, quickly followed with branded shirts, hats, and buttons. Meanwhile, Home Depot has emerged as a notable battleground in the Trump administration's plans to carry out mass deportations. Its stores and parking lots have long served as gathering places for day laborers, many of whom are undocumented. The presence of these workers has made the retailer particularly visible amid aggressive deportation efforts, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement arresting individuals at these locations. According to data from Zippia, approximately 19 percent of Home Depot employees identify as Hispanic or Latino. The company employs over 500,000 individuals, A man was struck and killed on a Southern California freeway Thursday while fleeing a federal immigration raid at a Home Depot, authorities have said. What People Are Saying Home Depot spokesperson Beth Marlowe told the Tampa Bay Times: "We have reached out to the RPOF to try to resolve this issue." Communications Director for the Florida Immigrant Coalition, Adriana Rivera told Newsweek: "The Governor's own words reveal the callousness of his agenda. By calling this jail a 'deportation depot,' DeSantis is reducing human beings to commodities—objects that can be warehoused, processed, and shipped away. Such language and policy choices strip people of their humanity, erasing their families, histories, and fundamental dignity. All of that on top of laughing at the location where many heads of households find work to put food on the table for their families in an honest way." Florida attorney Raul Gastesi, partner at Gastesi, Lopez, Mestre & Cobiella told Newsweek: "Trademark law protects against both consumer confusion and the dilution of a brand's reputation. When a political organization uses a logo that closely resembles a well-known mark on items it sells, the issue becomes less about parody and more about commercial use, which courts take seriously. In these situations, companies are well within their rights to object, even if the underlying message relates to political speech." "Courts generally recognize parody as protected speech when it's noncommercial commentary, but once the logo is placed on merchandise that's sold, even for fundraising, it shifts into commercial use. That distinction is important because it increases the risk of trademark infringement and dilution claims."
