The attorney general of Florida has subpoenaed the employer of Harjinder Singh, who is accused of an illegal U-Turn on a Florida turnpike that resulted in the deaths of three individuals.
FLORIDA, USA — A subpoena has been issued to Harjinder Singh’s employer, a truck driver from Stockton, who allegedly made an illegal U-Turn on the Florida Turnpike, causing a fatal collision with a minivan.
The subpoena called White Hawk Carriers Inc. to appear Sept. 24 before a statewide prosecutor in Tampa, Florida.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier stated that this legal action pertains to the Aug. 12 incident but is separate from it. In addition, he has made legal requests to California and Washington regarding their issuance of the commercial driver’s license.
Authorities in Florida are seeking extensive documentation from Singh’s employer, including his personnel file, hiring records, and qualifications, as well as any administrative notes and filings with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
The documents requested cover company policies on English proficiency requirements for drivers and evidence of their citizenship or legal status. For non-citizens, documentation of work authorization in the U.S. is also sought.
Other documents would include anything related to Singh’s CDL license in Washington state and California.
Who is Harjinder Singh?
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security previously said Singh, from Stockton but a native of India, was in the country illegally.
Florida officials reported that Singh entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 2018. According to Homeland Security, he later acquired a commercial driver’s license in California, which is among 19 states plus the District of Columbia that provide licenses without regard to immigration status, as noted by the National Immigration Law Center.
Florida Lt. Governor Jay Collins has said Singh lacks basic English proficiency and did not know the road signs.
At the time, Newsom’s press office responded on the X platform that Singh obtained a work permit while Donald Trump was president. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin disputed that, saying the federal government denied him a permit during Trump’s first term in September 2020 and granted him one in June 2021, under President Joe Biden.
A preliminary investigation by the U.S. Department of Transportation found that Washington state issued Singh a regular full-term commercial driver’s license in July 2023, a type of license that people without legal status are not eligible for, according to DOT.
California then issued Singh a limited-term commercial license a year later. Federal vehicle safety officials have been investigating whether the issuance of that license complied with government regulations.
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