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Trucker whose U-turn killed 3 cited threat to life threat in India to stay in US: Report
Harjinder Singh was processed for deportation but was allowed to stay in the US after he claimed a threat to his life in India
An Indian truck driver has been arrested in Florida, US, after a wrong U-turn by him allegedly resulted in the death of three people. The man, identified as Harjinder Singh, crossed into the US in 2018.
He was processed for deportation but was allowed to stay in the US after he claimed a threat to his life in India, the New York Post reported, citing unnamed police sources.
According to the report, Singh was released on a $5,000 immigration bond in January 2019 and has remained in immigration proceedings ever since.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) said in a statement on Saturday that he has since obtained a commercial driver's license in California.
Harjinder Singh was arrested on Saturday by US Marshals in California on a warrant for three counts of vehicular homicide in connection with a deadly crash in Florida at around 3 pm last Thursday.
The accident
A truck driven by Harjinder Singh made a hard left turn on the Florida Turnpike near Fort Pierce and attempted to cross the median through an 'Official Use Only' pass, NY Post reported, quoting authorities.
As it blocked all lanes of oncoming traffic, a minivan then slammed into the trailer at full speed, becoming wedged underneath and killing two passengers on the scene. The driver, who was rushed to a hospital, succumbed to his injuries later.
Neither Singh nor a passenger in the semi-truck with him at the time was injured, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
Singh is being held on a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer and faces three counts of vehicular homicide.
“The actions taken by the Defendant while operating a commercial tractor-trailer are both shocking and criminal," FLHSMV Director Dave Kerner reportedly said.
“Three people lost their lives as a result of his recklessness, and countless friends and family members will experience the pain of their loss forever,” Kerner added.
