A 21-year-old man from India, who entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 and was subsequently released by the Biden administration, is now facing serious charges in connection with a deadly truck crash in Southern California. Federal law enforcement sources informed Fox News about the incident.
Identified as Jashanpreet Singh, the suspect was initially apprehended by Border Patrol agents in California’s El Centro Sector back in March 2022. After his encounter, he was allowed to enter the country while awaiting an immigration hearing.
Singh is now under arrest, accused of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. Authorities allege he drove his semi-truck into slow-moving traffic on Interstate 10 in San Bernardino County, leading to the tragic accident.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene of the crash on the I-10 Freeway in San Bernardino County, California, which involved multiple vehicles, including semi-trucks. The incident occurred on a Tuesday, according to local reports.
Dashcam footage captured the catastrophic crash, which resulted in the deaths of at least three individuals and left several others injured.
Investigators reported that Singh did not apply the brakes before crashing into the traffic congestion. Toxicology results indicated that he was impaired at the time of the collision, police said.
DHS sources confirm he is not in lawful immigration status, and that ICE has lodged an immigration detainer following his arrest.
Singh was released under the Biden administration’s 2022 “alternatives to detention” policy, one of several instances Fox News has documented where illegal immigrants released pending hearings went on to commit a crime.
Jashanpreet Singh, a 21-year-old Indian national, allegedly drove a big rig while under the influence, leading to a California crash that killed at least three people Tuesday. (Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
The incident is the latest involving illegal immigrant truck drivers in the U.S.
Harjinder Singh, who crossed the southern border illegally in 2018, obtained a commercial driver’s license in California, and is accused of causing a crash in August in Fort Pierce, Florida, that killed three people.
Officials investigating the wreck said he failed English and road sign tests.
A statement released by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Oct. 15 points to a widespread issue among big rig drivers: inability to pass English language requirements.
“I put states on notice this summer: enforce the Trump Administration’s English language requirements or the checks stop coming,” Duffy said. “California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement. This is a fundamental safety issue that impacts you and your family on America’s road.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy touted English proficient rules for commercial truck drivers on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
The crash comes as the Trump administration announced last week that it would be withholding more than $40 million in federal highway safety funding from California for failing to comply with federal English language proficiency standards for truck drivers.
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
