Florida woman wrongly jailed in deadly crash takes fight to US Senate

A Florida woman who was wrongfully arrested and held in jail for nearly two weeks in connection to a deadly hit-and-run shared her story with U.S. Congress members.

Lindsey Isaacs addressed the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism on Wednesday, part of its hearing, called "Always Watching: Flock's Nationwide AI Surveillance Network." 

What they're saying:

"I came here today because I want you to understand that surveillance technology does not exist in a vacuum. Information collected by technology can become part of an investigation that affects a real human being," she said.

She's talking about her own story.

"My Durango was in immaculate condition, yet I stood there watching law enforcement take it away while telling me that my vehicle had been involved in a crash where three people died," she said.

Florida woman wrongfully arrested by FHP in deadly crash

The backstory:

Isaacs, 23, was arrested in April 2026 and accused of driving the vehicle involved in an October 2025 crash on Interstate 4 that left three people dead.

Initially, the Florida Highway Patrol said Isaacs was driving the Dodge Durango that caused a chain reaction crash before driving off. Isaacs spent 13 days in jail in conditions she described as "horrifying" before the charges were dropped.

"It was the worst 13 days of my life," Isaacs said. "I wouldn't wish it on anyone…it was very scary. So there's just no words to describe my emotions other than I thought my life was over."

Isaacs and her attorneys demanded a review of the evidence. FHP later cleared Isaacs and arrested another woman, Alisa Montalvo, in connection to the crash.

Lawsuit filed against FHP

Isaacs is suing FHP over her arrest.

In the lawsuit, Isaacs and her attorneys accuse troopers of lying about evidence supposedly linking her to the crash.

FHP troopers claimed in the arrest report that they had observed "smudge or rub marks" on Isaac's vehicle.

But her attorney said photos of Isaac's vehicle showed no damage associated with the crash.

A separate FHP team later reviewed her vehicle and found zero crash damage. 

Push for "Lindsey's Law"

On Wednesday, Isaacs told FOX 35's Marie Endinger that she hopes Congress will consider a law, perhaps called "Lindsey's Law," that puts in verification requirements before making an arrest using license plate readers.

• Marie: "What would you want that law to look like?"
• Lindsey: "Some type of verification before making an arrest on ALPRs"
• Lindsey: "They shouldn’t just look on the camera and immediately make an arrest or impound a vehicle for no reason."

Flock cameras, ALPRs suspended amid ongoing privacy discussions

Big picture view:

The U.S. Senate Subcommittee's hearing comes amid growing backlash against automatic license plate readers and ALPR companies. Flock Safety is one of a number of companies that create and manage license plate reader cameras and systems.

Those against ALPRs cite privacy and surveillance concerns. Others have brought up concerns regarding who has access to those systems, what safeguards are in place, how that data can be used, and how long it can be stored.

Several cities and law enforcement agencies in Florida and across the country have suspended or ended their license plate reader programs amid the backlash and pending changes at the legislative level.

Law enforcement leaders, including police chiefs and sheriff's, have defended the technology, asserting that it is a necessary investigative tool in solving cases, finding missing/endangered persons, and AMBER Alerts.

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