Semi-truck driver arrested in deadly crash on Southern California freeway was in U.S. illegally, DHS says

BBC

They told CBS News that 21-year-old Jashanpreet Singh is an Indian national who entered the country by crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in 2022.
Singh was arrested on Tuesday by California Highway Patrol officers in connection with an eight-vehicle collision that included four commercial vehicles.
CHP officers told CBS LA that they were investigating if Singh was driving with a valid commercial driver’s license at the time of the crash.
The driver in that crash, Harjinder Singh, also entered the U.S. illegally and obtained a commercial driver’s license from California, U.S.
Marshals told CBS News Miami in September.

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According to Department of Homeland Security officials, a semi-truck driver who was arrested for driving under the influence after a fatal collision on the 10 Freeway in Ontario on Tuesday is not authorized accessing the United States.

They told CBS News that Jashanpreet Singh, 21, is an Indian national who crossed the U.S. border to enter the country. S. . border with Mexico in 2022. He lives in Yuba City, California, which is roughly 120 miles northeast of San Francisco and in Sutter County.

Officers from the California Highway Patrol detained Singh on Tuesday in relation to an eight-vehicle collision that involved four commercial vehicles. Three people were killed in the collision, and four more were hospitalized in various conditions. According to the Ontario Fire Department, all of the victims were adults.

Singh is still being held without bail at the West Valley Detention Center in San Bernardino as of Wednesday night, according to San Bernardino County jail records. Intoxicated driving with gross vehicular manslaughter and drug-induced bodily injury are the charges against him. At Rancho Cucamonga’s Rancho Superior Court, he is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.

Singh’s best friend Gurjot Malhar was interviewed by CBS Sacramento reporters on Wednesday night. Singh visited the U.S., he informed them. S. in pursuit of a better life.

“He is a wonderful man. The dot. Malhar remarked, “He would speak normally, joyfully, and always with love and care.”. “It will be challenging to earn dollars here coming from India. dot. So, he wanted to keep going. “.

It’s unclear if Singh is currently represented by counsel. According to CHP officers who spoke to CBS LA, they were looking into whether Singh had a valid commercial driver’s license when the collision occurred.

August is when the U. S. . Commercial truck drivers are no longer eligible for worker visas from the government. The pause was implemented “in order to conduct a comprehensive and thorough review of screening and vetting protocols used to determine the qualifications for a U.S. visa,” according to a State Department spokesperson at the time. S. . The visa. “.

Foreign truckers can endanger American lives, as demonstrated by recent fatal accidents. S. interests in foreign policy and national security,” the State Department spokesperson stated. Protecting American truckers’ livelihoods and upholding a safe, robust supply chain depend on making sure all drivers on our roads adhere to the highest standards. “,”.

Last week, Florida sued California and Washington for a crash that occurred in August in which a semi-truck driver tried to make an illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike in St. Lucie County. In that crash, Harjinder Singh, the driver, also got into the U. A. unlawfully and acquired a California commercial driver’s license. A. In September, Marshals spoke to CBS News Miami.

According to the lawsuit, when both states issued commercial driver’s licenses, they did not follow federal safety and immigration-status regulations. According to the lawsuit, California and Washington “opted to disregard these guidelines and permit undocumented immigrants who lack the necessary education or road sign reading skills to operate commercial motor vehicles.”. “..”.

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