Jashanpreet Singh, a 21-year-old Indian national, is facing serious charges after allegedly causing a fiery truck crash that killed three people in Southern California, authorities confirmed on Wednesday. Fox News later cited sources to report that Singh illegally entered the US in 2022 and was released by former President Joe Biden.
Authorities identified the suspect as Singh, who was first encountered by Border Patrol agents in California’s El Centro Sector in March 2022, Fox revealed. The report added that he was let into the country under the Biden administration’s ‘alternatives to detention’ policy, pending an immigration hearing.
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On Tuesday, Singh was arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated after his semi-truck slammed into slow-moving traffic on the I-10 Freeway in San Bernardino County. Dashcam footage captured the deadly collision, which left at least three dead and several others injured.
Investigators said Singh never applied the brakes before impact, and toxicology tests later confirmed he was impaired. The Department of Homeland Security said Singh remains in the US without lawful status, and ICE has filed an immigration detainer following his arrest.
{{/usCountry}}Investigators said Singh never applied the brakes before impact, and toxicology tests later confirmed he was impaired. The Department of Homeland Security said Singh remains in the US without lawful status, and ICE has filed an immigration detainer following his arrest.
{{/usCountry}}The incident has renewed scrutiny over federal immigration and trucking regulations. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed the growing safety issue involving unqualified commercial drivers.
“I put states on notice this summer: enforce the Trump Administration’s English language requirements or the checks stop coming,” Duffy said. “California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement. This is a fundamental safety issue that impacts you and your family on America’s road.”
Duffy’s comments came days after the Trump administration announced it would withhold $40 million in federal highway safety funding from California for failing to comply with English proficiency standards for truck drivers.
This comes months after Harjinder Singh, an illegal immigrant from India who crossed the border in 2018, was accused of causing a fatal crash in Fort Pierce, Florida, that killed three people. Investigators said he had failed both English and road sign tests before obtaining his California commercial driver’s license.