Indian-Origin Truck Driver In Deadly Florida Crash Said He Feared Returning To India
Washington — The truck driver involved in last week’s fatal crash on Florida’s Turnpike has been identified as Harjinder Singh, an Indian-origin man who entered the United States illegally in 2018 and claimed he was afraid to return to India.
The accident, which occurred on August 12 in St. Lucie County, happened when Singh attempted to make a dangerous U-turn through a restricted “Official Use Only” crossover in his semi-truck. The manoeuvre blocked the road and caused an oncoming minivan to slam into the trailer.
Three people in the van were killed — a 30-year-old man from Florida City, a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach, and a 54-year-old man from Miami. Singh and a passenger travelling with him escaped unhurt.
Singh’s Immigration History
According to the New York Post, Singh crossed into the US from Mexico in September 2018. He was arrested by US Border Patrol two days later and placed in expedited deportation proceedings under the Trump administration.
However, during the process he reportedly claimed that he was “scared” to go back to India, and was released in January 2019 on a $5,000 immigration bond. Since then, he has remained in ongoing immigration proceedings.
In June 2021, the Biden administration issued him work authorization, enabling him to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) in California.
Arrest And Charges
Singh was arrested in California on Saturday and is being held on an immigration detainer. He faces three counts of vehicular homicide.
Florida officials described his actions as “shocking and criminal,” noting that his reckless driving has left families with permanent loss. A viral video from inside the truck’s cab shows Singh remaining calm and casually putting the vehicle in park immediately after the crash.
The investigation into the incident is still ongoing.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
