Photo: Billy and Kathy Inman holding a picture of their late son, Dustin. Photo: AJC

Dalton Daily Citizen

April 30, 2018

Letter: Payne is wrong on driver’s license bill

At our house, we’re following the state Senate primary election in Dalton with great interest because of the issue of Sen. Chuck Payne voting against the illegal alien driver’s license bill in last session. You see, our son Dustin was killed by an illegal alien who crashed into the rear end of our car Father’s Day weekend in 2000. The illegal had a driver’s license from North Carolina that was the same as all North Carolina driver’s licenses.

He was involved in another rear-end crash before he killed our son and put my wife, Kathy, in a wheelchair for the rest of her life. The police had no way of knowing he was an illegal alien when they saw his license when he ran into the first family’s car — maybe they would have reported him to immigration authorities if his license was marked or looked different that he was here illegally. Maybe my son would be a productive 34-year-old with kids of his own today.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, my son’s killer is living in Mexico after he escaped Gilmer County law enforcement.

We do not want illegal aliens here and to have driver’s licenses, but if politicians are going to issue them to some illegals, those licenses should be clearly marked that person is not a legal immigrant.

I remembered when I turned 15, getting my learner’s license it said “Learners” across the top. Why not a note or word on the license of illegals that get one? Sen. Payne saying illegal immigration is not a Georgia issue is very disappointing. Try telling that to my wife. She’s easy to find in her wheelchair.

Mr. Tidwell said he doesn’t want Georgia to become a magnet for illegal immigration and would have voted for the illegal immigration driver’s license bill that Sen. Payne is against. We wish Mr. Tidwell good luck and don’t agree with Sen. Payne that Mr. Tidwell is a loser, and we ask Sen. Payne what happened to common sense and respect in politics.

Billy and Kathy Inman

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