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A 21-year-old illegal immigrant from India who crossed the southern border in 2022 and was released by the Biden administration is now accused of causing a fiery semi-truck crash that killed three people in Southern California, multiple federal law enforcement sources tell .
According to federal sources, the suspect, identified as Jashanpreet Singh, was first encountered by Border Patrol agents in California’s El Centro Sector in March 2022, and released into the interior of the country pending an immigration hearing.
Singh has now been arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated after plowing his big rig into slow-moving traffic on the I-10 Freeway in San Bernardino County.
BODYCAM VIDEO SHOWS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCK DRIVER SPEAKING LIMITED ENGLISH WITH NEW MEXICO OFFICER
Emergency crews responded to a multi-vehicle crash involving semi-trucks on the I-10 Freeway in San Bernardino County, Calif., on Tuesday. (KTLA)
The crash, caught on dashcam video, left at least three people dead and several injured.
Police say Singh never hit the brakes before slamming into the traffic jam, citing toxicology tests that confirmed impairment.
DHS sources confirm he is not in lawful immigration status, and that ICE has lodged an immigration detainer following his arrest.
Singh was released under the Biden administration’s 2022 “alternatives to detention” policy, one of several instances has documented where illegal immigrants released pending hearings went on to commit a crime.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER ACCUSED OF KILLING THREE PEOPLE FAILED ENGLISH, ROAD TEST SIGNS: DOT
Jashanpreet Singh, a 21-year-old Indian national, allegedly drove a big rig while under the influence, leading to a California crash that killed at least three people Tuesday. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
The incident is the latest involving illegal immigrant truck drivers in the U.S.
Harjinder Singh, who crossed the southern border illegally in 2018, obtained a commercial driver’s license in California, and is accused of causing a crash in August in Fort Pierce, Florida, that killed three people.
Officials investigating the wreck said he failed English and road sign tests.
A statement released by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Oct. 15 points to a widespread issue among big rig drivers: inability to pass English language requirements.
“I put states on notice this summer: enforce the Trump Administration’s English language requirements or the checks stop coming,” Duffy said. “California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement. This is a fundamental safety issue that impacts you and your family on America’s road.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy touted English proficient rules for commercial truck drivers on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
The crash comes as the Trump administration announced last week that it would be withholding more than $40 million in federal highway safety funding from California for failing to comply with federal English language proficiency standards for truck drivers.
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The White House did not immediately respond to Digital’s request for comment.
Digital’s Peter D’Abrosca contributed to this report.
