Fatal Crash in California Involving Illegal Truck Driver

Authorities have confirmed the identities of two victims from a recent tragic accident in California, which involved a truck driver illegally residing in the U.S.

A 76-year-old basketball coach from Pomona High School, Clarence Nelson, and his 69-year-old wife, Lisa Nelson, lost their lives when a semi-truck collided with multiple vehicles on Interstate 10 in Ontario last Tuesday. Four additional individuals sustained injuries in the crash.

State Senator Susan Rubio expressed her sorrow over the incident, saying, “Our community was deeply saddened by the tragic events that occurred in Ontario this week. I am heartbroken to learn that two of the lives lost were from my district: Pomona High School basketball coach Clarence Nelson and his wife Lisa.” She added, “As a teacher, I know how a loss like this ripples through the entire school community. Our hearts go out to their families, the Pomona Unified School District, and everyone who is grieving this great loss.”

The driver, 21-year-old Jashanpreet Singh, originally from India, is suspected of speeding and being under the influence of drugs at the time of the accident. The California Highway Patrol arrested him, charging him with driving under the influence causing bodily injury, driving under the influence, and gross negligence manslaughter.

Singh entered a not guilty plea on Friday, and his next court date is set for November 4. He will require an interpreter for this hearing, as noted in court documents.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a detainer on Singh, who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in 2022. The circumstances of his entry into the country involve claims that he was taken in by the Biden administration.

The Department of Transportation has accused California of violating federal laws by granting Singh a commercial driver’s license. In September, DOT Secretary Sean Duffy revealed findings from an audit by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, highlighting “systematic noncompliance” at various states’ driver’s license agencies, including California. The Secretary has called for a halt to issuing non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses and urged the state to identify any licenses that remain out of compliance.

In mid-October, the Department of Transportation announced it would withhold around $40 million in federal funding from states failing to comply with English proficiency standards for commercial drivers. In a statement about the fatal crash, the DOT asserted, “Had California complied with the Secretary’s emergency regulations and prevented this individual from upgrading his driving privileges earlier this month, he would never have been able to get into his big rig.”

The department stated that California first issued Singh a non-domiciled commercial driver’s license in June. However, this license included a restriction limiting him to in-state driving due to his age at the time. Notably, on October 15—his 21st birthday—California lifted this restriction without applying the stricter standards introduced in the DOT’s September final rule.

Furthermore, the Department of Transportation remarked, “Had California followed the Secretary’s emergency rule and prevented Mr. Singh from upgrading his driving privileges, Mr. Singh would have been required to return to the DMV (after October 15) to remove the ‘K’ restriction and upgrade his CDL.” At that point, he would have been deemed ineligible for a non-domiciled CDL due to his asylum-seeker status.

The California DMV told Blaze News that the federal government approved Singh’s work permit, which is valid until August 2030. They confirmed that they verified his documents through the federal Systematic Alien Eligibility Verification System (SAVE), but they did acknowledge changes in eligibility requirements were issued by the DOT on September 26.

In a letter, the California Department of Transportation noted, “The state does not determine eligibility for a commercial driver’s license. The federal government approves and renews all federal employment authorization documents that allow individuals to work and obtain a commercial driver’s license.”