Florida Truck Crash Investigation
The driver of a truck carrying undocumented immigrants that reportedly caused three deaths after making an illegal U-turn on a Florida highway received a work permit during the Biden administration, having previously been denied one under President Trump, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Harjinder Singh journeyed to California from the southern border in September 2018 and was processed for a quick deportation by the Trump administration, unnamed sources indicated. Singh and other Indian nationals were initially set for removal but remained after he expressed fears of returning to his home country. He was eventually released in January 2019, with an outstanding immigration debt of $5,000, awaiting a decision on his asylum application.
After obtaining a work permit in June 2021, Singh was able to get a commercial driver’s license in California, as noted by the DHS.
On Monday, Tricia McLaughlin, a DHS aide, referred back to a post from California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office, after the Trump administration had issued Singh a work permit. She accused the previous administration of being dishonest regarding his immigration status.
“What’s being claimed is false. Harjinder Singh was in the U.S. illegally. His work application was denied on September 14, 2020, and then approved on June 9, 2021,” McLaughlin stated.
She added, “California issues commercial driver licenses; there’s no national CDL. It’s absurd, really.”
Authorities arrested Singh on Saturday on charges related to a fatal crash in Florida that occurred last Thursday around 3 PM. Singh claimed he made a sharp left turn while driving a tractor-trailer on the Florida Turnpike near Fort Pierce and attempted to navigate through a restricted area.
The trailer blocked all lanes of approaching traffic just as a minivan collided with it at full speed. The minivan became wedged under the trailer, tragically resulting in the deaths of a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach, a 30-year-old man from Florida, and a 54-year-old man from Miami. Two victims died on the scene, while the driver was taken to a hospital where he later succumbed.
Neither Singh nor his passengers sustained any injuries, as confirmed by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Shocking footage from inside the truck showed Singh calmly shifting the vehicle into park and turning off the engine justo at the moment of the crash, raising eyebrows regarding his state of mind.
Immigration enforcement has since issued detainers on Singh, allowing for his potential deportation while he remains in custody. He faces three counts of vehicular manslaughter.
“The actions taken by the defendant while operating this commercial truck are both shocking and criminal,” a spokesperson commented. “Because of his reckless behavior, three lives have been lost, leaving many friends and family to grieve.”
