The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed on Saturday that a complaint has been lodged against an undocumented immigrant involved in a high-speed pursuit in Ohio that resulted in the death of a pregnant 17-year-old girl and her unborn child, as well as injuries to another woman during the crash.
Tarsem Singh, who hails from India, faces charges including vehicular homicide, manslaughter, and reckless homicide, according to DHS information.
He is currently in custody with a bail set at $1 million, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued an arrest warrant to Ohio authorities.
The incident happened on February 16 when a deputy from the Darke County Sheriff’s Office noticed an SUV exceeding the speed limit by nearly 25 miles per hour.
Reports indicate that the deputy attempted to pursue Singh, who was allegedly driving the SUV at daunting speeds of up to 160 mph.
After the deputy activated his sirens and initiated a traffic stop, Singh’s SUV reportedly sped for about five miles, hitting a peak of 194 mph, before colliding with another vehicle at a curve, as stated by the sheriff’s office.
In the aftermath, deputies discovered Singh’s passenger, the pregnant 17-year-old Ashley Holmes, was ejected from the vehicle and found deceased, according to local news.
Singh was subsequently transported to Miami Valley Hospital via CareFlight.
The driver of the eastbound vehicle involved in the crash was reportedly conscious and injured, and was taken to Reed Hospital in Richmond, Indiana, as noted by the sheriff’s office.
The entire chase lasted less than three minutes from beginning to impact.
Details around why Holmes was in Singh’s car remain murky.
“This serves as yet another tragic reminder why undocumented individuals should not be driving in the U.S.,” stated Lauren Biss, acting DHS assistant secretary. “This individual’s reckless behavior caused the death of a young woman and her unborn child.”
Singh allegedly crossed into the U.S. illegally through California’s southern border in February 2017 and was previously arrested but released on bail by a judge.
Biss emphasized that the new ICE detainer aims to guarantee Singh “will never be released, will never drive again, and will not pose a danger to more innocent lives.”
