An illegal Indian immigrant truck driver has been arrested in the US for allegedly driving drunk and causing a crash that killed three people on California’s I-10 Freeway on Wednesday. Jashanpreet Singh, 21, was driving a semi-truck that slammed into slow-moving traffic without braking, the New York Post reported. The incident was caught on a dashcam, and toxicology tests confirmed that Singh was drunk or under the influence of drugs.
Government sources told Fox News that Singh does not have a lawful immigration status. He had entered the US illegally via the southern border in 2022 and was released under the Joe Biden administration’s 'alternatives to detention' policy. Now, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has filed a detainer following his arrest. Singh currently faces charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
This incident is the latest in a series of accidents involving illegal immigrants in the US. In September, Partap Singh, 28, was arrested for causing a multi-vehicle crash in California last year that critically injured a five-year-old girl and left her with permanent disabilities.
In August, three people were killed on Florida's Turnpike after a semi-truck, being driven by an illegal Indian immigrant, made a sharp U-turn, resulting in a collision with a minivan. The truck was being driven by Harjinder Singh, who was reportedly issued a commercial driver's license by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), despite his illegal status. A Florida judge denied him bond, calling him a “substantial flight risk.”
Poor English skills among Indian-immigrant truck drivers
The crash has triggered a fresh debate over Indian immigrant truck drivers in the US who struggle with English. Officials say poor language skills are becoming a safety risk.
Harjinder Singh reportedly failed English and road sign tests.
Last week, a Hindi-speaking trucker in California went viral after an interview with ABC 7 News. Vivek Sharma, who has lived in the US for 10 years while seeking asylum, said he can’t renew his license under a new rule that limits renewals to green card holders and citizens.
“I don’t know what to do now,” Sharma said in Hindi. Online users focused on his language skills. “After 10 years, he couldn’t speak English — endangering the public,” tweeted LibertyRobUSA. Others linked the issue to the Florida crash, saying drivers who can’t read signs pose a threat.
Government warns states
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said states must enforce English language rules for truck drivers. “California is the only state that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read road signs and talk to law enforcement,” he said. The Trump administration has cut $40 million in highway safety funding to California over non-compliance.
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