Indian man charged in California truck crash that killed three; accused of driving under influence

A 21-year-old Indian man, identified as Jashanpreet Singh, has been arrested and charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated after a fiery crash in Southern California killed three people and injured several others, according to US authorities.

The incident occurred on a San Bernardino County freeway, where Singh’s Freightliner tractor-trailer slammed into slow-moving traffic, setting multiple vehicles ablaze. Dashcam footage from the truck reportedly captured the moment of impact, which killed at least three occupants of an SUV and injured others, including Singh himself and a roadside mechanic assisting with a tyre change.

California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers said Singh never applied the brakes before the collision and was later found to be under the influence of drugs. “He was eventually transported to the hospital and checked out by medical staff. Our officers determined he was driving under the influence of drugs,” said CHP Officer Rodrigo Jimenez, as quoted by ABC7 News.

Toxicology tests confirmed Singh’s impairment at the time of the crash, officials said. The victims have not yet been publicly identified.

According to US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials, Singh does not have lawful immigration status in the United States. Records show he entered the US illegally in March 2022 through California’s El Centro Sector and was released into the country under the “alternatives to detention” policy implemented by the Biden administration. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has since lodged an immigration detainer against him following his arrest.

The case has reignited debate in the United States over border security and the vetting of commercial drivers, as Singh is the second Indian national in recent months accused of causing a fatal crash while driving a commercial vehicle. In August, another Indian immigrant, Harjinder Singh, was charged in Fort Pierce, Florida, in connection with a collision that killed three people. He had reportedly crossed the US border illegally in 2018 before obtaining a commercial driver’s licence in California.

Jashanpreet Singh remains in custody as authorities continue their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash and potential violations of federal immigration law.