Truck driver in deadly Florida turnpike crash booked in California jail
Harjinder Singh, 28, was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail Sunday afternoon, California jail records show, following last Tuesday's crash.
Singh, who was denied bail, is set to appear in court at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, California time, at the Stockton Courthouse in San Joaquin County, according to jail records.
Typically, law enforcement does not make an arrest at the scene. 'If there is a fatality associated with a car accident, investigative authorities work to make sure that all evidence is gathered before any arrests are made,' according to the Spatz Law Firm in Miami.
The Aug. 12 crash occurred when Singh attempted to make a U-turn in his 18-wheeler at an 'official use only' area of the Turnpike, 19 miles north of Fort Pierce in St. Lucie County. A 25-year-old man, whom authorities have not identified, was a passenger.
Singh was blocking all the northbound lanes as a 2015 black Chrysler Town & Country minivan approached in the middle lane, FHP said. The van slammed into the 18-wheeler, killing its three occupants.
READ MORE: Trucking company in fatal Turnpike crash: unsafe trucks, unlicensed drivers, records show
On Tuesday, FHP identified the deceased as a 30-year-old Florida City man, who was driving, and two passengers: a 37-year-old Pompano Beach woman and a 54-year-old Miami man.
The two passengers were pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver was airlifted to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce. He died around 5:15 p.m. later that day, according to FHP.
Singh, who has a commercial driver's license in California, entered the United States illegally in 2018 through the Mexican border, according to FHP. It's unclear how he obtained a commercial driver's license, as Californa law requires the license holder to show proof they are in the U.S. legally, among other requirements, according to the California Commercial Driver's Handbook.
Singh lives in Stockton, a city in San Joaquin County.
READ MORE: How did truck driver in fatal Turnpike crash get license if not legal resident?
'The actions taken by the Defendant while operating a commercial tractor-trailer are both shocking and criminal,' FHP Executive Director Dave Kerner said in a statement Saturday. 'Three people lost their lives as a result of his recklessness, and countless friends and family members will experience the pain of their loss forever.'
Singh will be deported at the conclusion of his state charges, Kerner added. He is facing three counts of vehicular homicide, the Florida Highway Patrol said. In addition to the criminal charges, he was also issued an immigration detainer by federal agents.
News of the crash went national, with Singh being at the center of several socials media posts by the Trump administration on Sunday and Monday, prompting a response from California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In one post, Newsom's press office said the federal government issued Singh — who entered the country during Trump's first term — an employment authorization document, which allows foreign nationals to work legally in the U.S
In response, Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, said Singh's work authorization was rejected in September 2020 while Trump was in office and approved in June 2021 under the Biden administration.
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