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CBS News
7 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
DeSantis calls on Congress to act after undocumented truck driver charged in deadly Florida Turnpike crash
Governor Ron DeSantis is calling on Congress to act after an undocumented truck driver was involved in a deadly crash on the Florida Turnpike. The fatal crash occurred on Aug. 12 at 2:57 p.m. near Mile Marker 171 on the northbound lanes of Florida's Turnpike in Fort Pierce, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV). Dashcam video captured the moment the driver of the truck, 28-year old Harjinder Singh, attempted an illegal U-turn in an area marked for "official use only," crossing multiple lanes into the path of a northbound Chrysler Town & Country minivan. The minivan struck the truck's trailer and became wedged underneath. A 30-year-old man from Florida City and his two passengers, a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach and a 54-year-old man from Miami, died as a result of the crash. Singh of Stockton, California, and his 25-year-old passenger from Yuba City, California, were not injured, FLHSMV said. During a news conference in St. Cloud on Tuesday, DeSantis called Singh's demeanor at the time of the crash disturbing. "Because if you look, we have video of this, we have photos of this, and he seemed to not like, I mean, it was almost like, you know, he's walking down the sidewalk, maybe stubbed his toe, just kind of like it was, it didn't register to him and I'm like that is really cold," he said. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Monday that Singh entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 2018 and later obtained a commercial driver's license in California, one of 19 states plus the District of Columbia that issue licenses regardless of immigration status, according to the National Immigration Law Center. "In Florida, what we've said is we're not giving licenses if you're here illegally, we're not giving ID cards. In fact, you can't even do like these NGOs want to issue, we don't allow that. We don't recognize California driver's licenses. So we're creating a situation where following the laws (are) the right thing to do and violating the laws (are) the wrong thing to do. Now, California, they do it differently. They invite people to come illegally, they provide benefits." The governor said Congress needs to act. "It can't just be like we do things right in Florida and somehow that's going to cure what's happening on the Left Coast and some of these other places. Ultimately, Congress has the power of the purse, they do not need to fund you. If you're a sanctuary state, they can remove funding from sanctuary cities. So stop subsidizing this. You have people that are in Congress that are complaining about what happened. While I appreciate the sympathy, it's like you guys have the power of the purse," DeSantis said. Singh faces three counts of vehicular homicide in addition to immigration violations. He is currently being held in a California jail and an ICE detainer has been issued. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said they are not just going to deport Singh. They are going to convict him and have him serve time "behind bars for as long as possible." Only then, he said, will Singh be handed over for deportation. This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
NDTV
17 hours ago
- NDTV
Who Is Harjinder Singh, India-Origin Truck Driver Involved In Fatal Florida Crash
Washington: At least three people were killed in the United States after a semi-truck driver made a rogue U-turn on a highway in Florida's St. Lucie County last week. The accident occurred on August 12, and the truck driver was identified as Indian-origin Harjinder Singh, who, according to the Donald Trump administration, is an illegal immigrant. US authorities said Singh, while driving a tractor-trailer, made a hard left turn on the Florida Turnpike near Fort Pierce as he attempted to cross the median through an "Official Use Only" pass. The truck blocked all lanes of incoming traffic, due to which a minivan coming in full speed slammed onto its side. The high-speed impact resulted in the minivan wedging underneath the trailer, killing a 30-year-old Florida City man, a 37-year-old Pompano Beach woman and a 54-year-old Miami man. Neither Singh nor a passenger inside the truck with him at the time was injured, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Who Is Harjinder Singh According to a report by the New York Post, Singh, an Indian-origin man, illegally entered the US by crossing the southern border into California in September 2018. He was arrested by the Border Patrol two days after crossing the border and was processed for fast-track deportation by the first Trump administration. Per @FLHSMV: The truck driver in the video has been arrested for vehicular homicide. FLHSMV says Harjinder Singh entered the U.S. illegally in 2018 but was able to get a CDL in California. 'At the conclusion of his state charges, he will be deported.' — Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 17, 2025 However, during the proceeding for expedited removal, he reportedly claimed that he was scared to return to India, following which the US Citizenship and Immigration Services released him on a $5,000 immigration bond in January 2019. He has been in immigration proceedings ever since. Under US law, immigrants claim "refugee" status if they are unable or unwilling to return to their home country because of "persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution" due to race, membership in a particular social group, political opinion, religion, or national origin. In June 2021, Singh was granted work papers by the Biden administration, following which he was able to secure a Commercial Driver's License in California, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday. Singh's Arrested US Marshals in California arrested Singh on Saturday in connection with a deadly crash in Florida last Thursday. He is being held on a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer and faces three counts of vehicular homicide. "The actions taken by the Defendant while operating a commercial tractor-trailer are both shocking and criminal, FLHSMV Director Dave Kerner said, according to a story by the New York Post. "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," he added. A video from inside Singh's truck cab window went viral on social media, showing him visibly unaffected at the moment of the crash, calmly putting his vehicle into park and turning the engine off.
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
Truck driver accused in deadly Florida Turnpike crash entered U.S. illegally, authorities say
A truck driver accused of making an illegal U-turn that caused a crash killing three South Florida residents on Florida's Turnpike last week was in the U.S. illegally and is now facing vehicular homicide and immigration charges, authorities said Monday. According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), the fatal crash occurred on Aug. 12 at 2:57 p.m. near Mile Marker 171 on the northbound lanes of Florida's Turnpike in Fort Pierce. FLHSMV said a 2024 International semi-truck attempted a U-turn in an area marked for "official use only," crossing multiple lanes into the path of a northbound Chrysler Town & Country minivan. The minivan struck the truck's trailer and became wedged underneath. The driver of the minivan, a 30-year-old man from Florida City, was airlifted to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital and later died from his injuries. His passengers, a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach and a 54-year-old man from Miami, were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names have not been released. The truck driver, identified as 28-year-old Harjinder Singh of Stockton, California, and his 25-year-old passenger from Yuba City, California, were not injured, FLHSMV said. Dashcam footage from the semi-truck showed the moment Singh attempted the illegal U-turn with his vehicle, blocking all northbound lanes of the Turnpike. The video captured the minivan crashing into the trailer and becoming trapped underneath. The footage, obtained by Breaking911, has fueled outrage and renewed questions about how Singh was able to secure a commercial driver's license given his status in the country. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Monday that Singh entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 2018 and later obtained a commercial driver's license in California, one of 19 states plus the District of Columbia that issue licenses regardless of immigration status, according to the National Immigration Law Center. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for DHS, called the licensing of Singh "asinine." California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office pushed back on X, saying Singh had obtained a work permit while Donald Trump was president. McLaughlin disputed that, stating Singh's application was denied in September 2020 under Trump and later approved in June 2021 under President Joe Biden. Singh faces three state counts of vehicular homicide in addition to immigration violations. DHS said it has requested Singh be transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after the conclusion of his criminal case. This article including reporting from The Associated Press.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Trucker whose U-turn killed 3 cited threat to life threat in India to stay in US: Report
An Indian truck driver has been arrested in Florida, US, after a wrong U-turn by him allegedly resulted in the death of three people. The man, identified as Harjinder Singh, crossed into the US in 2018. Harjinder Singh was arrested on Saturday by US Marshals in California on a warrant for three counts of vehicular homicide.(Representative) He was processed for deportation but was allowed to stay in the US after he claimed a threat to his life in India, the New York Post reported, citing unnamed police sources. According to the report, Singh was released on a $5,000 immigration bond in January 2019 and has remained in immigration proceedings ever since. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) said in a statement on Saturday that he has since obtained a commercial driver's license in California. Harjinder Singh was arrested on Saturday by US Marshals in California on a warrant for three counts of vehicular homicide in connection with a deadly crash in Florida at around 3 pm last Thursday. The accident A truck driven by Harjinder Singh made a hard left turn on the Florida Turnpike near Fort Pierce and attempted to cross the median through an 'Official Use Only' pass, NY Post reported, quoting authorities. As it blocked all lanes of oncoming traffic, a minivan then slammed into the trailer at full speed, becoming wedged underneath and killing two passengers on the scene. The driver, who was rushed to a hospital, succumbed to his injuries later. Neither Singh nor a passenger in the semi-truck with him at the time was injured, the Florida Highway Patrol said. Singh is being held on a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer and faces three counts of vehicular homicide. 'The actions taken by the Defendant while operating a commercial tractor-trailer are both shocking and criminal," FLHSMV Director Dave Kerner reportedly said. '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,' Kerner added.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
California Governor Gavin Newsom faces backlash after illegal immigrant in Florida Turnpike crash found to have state-issued CDL
California Governor Gavin Newsom is under heavy scrutiny after reports confirmed that the state issued a commercial driver's license (CDL) to Harjinder Singh, an undocumented Indian immigrant who later caused a fatal crash in Florida. The revelation has ignited a wave of online outrage, with many critics blaming California's licensing policies and demanding accountability from state leadership. Three killed in Florida crash caused by an illegal U-turn by a semi-truck driver According to an official Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) press release dated August 16, 2025, the fatal crash occurred on August 12, 2025, on Florida's Turnpike in St. Lucie County. Singh, driving a commercial semi-truck and trailer, attempted an illegal U-turn using an unauthorised median crossover. The manoeuvre resulted in a violent collision with a minivan, killing all three of its occupants. Singh has since been arrested and charged with three counts of vehicular homicide by Florida State Troopers. 🇺🇸3 died in a crash in Florida, USA, after a semi-truck made an illegal U-turn, colliding with a minivan.A woman, 37, from Pompano Beach and a man, 54, from Miami died in collide. The minivan's driver, man, 30, from Florida, was airlifted to the hospital, where he later died. Driver was an undocumented Indian immigrant with a CDL issued by California The FLHSMV report also confirms that Harjinder Singh entered the U.S. illegally via the Mexico border in 2018 and later obtained a California-issued CDL. Despite his undocumented status, Singh managed to obtain a commercial driver's license in California—raising urgent questions about how state-level DMV policies allow individuals without legal status to qualify for such certifications. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has since issued a detainer for Singh through the 287(g) programme. Public outrage mounts against Governor Gavin Newsom The news has sparked furious responses online, with many calling out California's DMV and Governor Newsom for enabling undocumented individuals to obtain CDLs. One user posted, 'OMFG the dude who caused this horrific wreck illegally crossed the Mexican border, and California gave them a CDL!!!! WTAF!!! Gavin Newsom has a lot to answer for here. Florida Army may have to invade California over this.' One shared, "So Gavin Newsom's California issues a CDL to an illegal Indian immigrant who then makes an illegal semi-truck u-turn in Florida, killing a family of states are complete liabilities, and the Trump administration needs to crack down on them in any way possible." So Gavin Newsom's California issues a CDL to an illegal Indian immigrant who then makes an illegal semi-truck u-turn in Florida, killing a family of run states are complete liabilities and the Trump administration needs to crack down on them in any way possible. Another added, 'Democrat-run states are complete liabilities, and the Trump administration needs to crack down on them in any way possible.' A third user expressed disbelief, writing, 'How does an ILLEGAL get a commercial driver's license in Gavin Newsom's state? 👀 Guaranteed he's not the only one, and very likely this is happening in Canada.' Turns out, an ILLEGAL immigrant is responsible for that horrific deadly truck crash that killed 3 people in Florida. How does an ILLEGAL get a commercial drivers license in Gavin Newsom's state 👀 Guaranteed he's not the only one, and very likely this is happening in Canada "Yet another tragedy at the hands of an illegal immigrant. 3 innocent Americans are dead in Florida because Gavin Newsom's California handed out a CDL to someone who illegally crossed our border. Blood is on the hands of Gavin," mentioned one enraged user. 🚨 Yet another tragedy at the hands of an illegal immigrant.3 innocent Americans are dead in Florida because Gavin Newsom's California handed out a CDL to someone who illegally crossed our is on the hands of Gavin Newscum. The controversy has intensified debates over state-level licensing policies and their intersection with federal immigration laws, with critics demanding immediate reforms and federal oversight. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending.
