TAMPA BAY — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday criticized out‑of‑state issuance of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and what he described as sanctuary policies in the wake of a crash that resulted in multiple deaths and prompted a law‑enforcement investigation.

DeSantis said troopers at the crash scene initially did not identify probable cause because of the condition of the scene and that investigators later relied on video evidence. He said the state attorney general announced arrests in Bay County following the investigation.

The governor criticized the practice of issuing CDLs to people he described as not lawfully present in the United States and urged federal action. “You're not allowed to issue a CDL to somebody who is not in this country legally,” DeSantis said, adding that a driver who could not read or speak English created a risk on busy highways. He described the driver’s maneuver as a “reckless disregard for the safety of other people.”

DeSantis also said the commercial carrier will face federal consequences and that state officials are exploring whether additional state‑level accountability is possible. He cautioned against portraying the driver as solely a victim of circumstance, saying the conduct that led to the crash was avoidable.

The governor discussed broader policy implications, including requests to the federal government to pause certain CDL programs in states he identified as issuing questionable credentials. He asserted that such licensing practices create hazards for other motorists.

—

Provenance: topicintro — excerpt discussing initial scene observations and troopers' need for video evidence (transcript time ~1511–1569). topicfinish — excerpt where governor links the crash investigation to concerns about CDL issuance and sanctuary jurisdictions (transcript time ~1676–1708).