Estranged girlfriend shoots ex's cousin in the face at a red light, thinking she was the 'new woman'

JACKSONVILLE, FL- Last weekend, a breakup between a 38-year-old woman and her estranged boyfriend grew tragic when she shot a female passenger in his car in the face at a stoplight last weekend, believing she was his new girlfriend. Instead, it was his married cousin. 

Latorray Collins, 38, tracked down her ex to a Jacksonville restaurant Saturday night and ambushed them when they were stopped at a red light, The New York Post reported, citing court documents obtained by the Miami Herald. 

First Coast News reported that all day Saturday, Collins texted and called her unidentified ex-boyfriend, asking him to retrieve his belongings. He told her just to throw them out. 

The report said the ex-boyfriend was going to go out to dinner with his cousin, Latasha Taylor. They were looking to meet family and friends who were driving there separately. The boyfriend said he received numerous phone calls from Collins while en route to the restaurant, which he ignored. 

When they stopped for a red light, Collins drove around the passenger side of the car and “abruptly” turned in front of his vehicle, blocking them in. The ex-boyfriend reversed his car and drove around Collins. At a subsequent red light, Collins exited her vehicle, approached the ex’s car, and “aggressively” knocked out his window. 

A confrontation ensued between Collins and the car in front of the ex, which contained the other people meeting the ex and Taylor at the restaurant. The ex got himself between Collins and the other parties, hoping to de-escalate the situation. He then heard a gunshot and turned to see Taylor fall to the ground. 

According to the arrest report, other witnesses at the scene described the incident and “mirrored” that of the ex-boyfriend. 

Collins was charged with second-degree attempted murder and booked into the Duval County Jail on a $250,000 bond. The victim was transported to a local hospital and was in critical condition after the shooting. 

Taylor’s husband, Tony, said he and Latasha were about to spend their 15th anniversary together. 

“She is a great mother and [a] great wife. She always puts other people before herself. She’s willing to help everybody,” he said.