An Indian migrant responsible for the deaths of three people after executing an illegal U-turn with a big rig avoided deportation by expressing fear of returning home.
Harjinder Singh entered California from Mexico in September 2018 and was immediately held by Border Control, information that came to light after last Tuesday’s tragic accident in Florida.
Singh was initially set for quick deportation to India but avoided it by stating he feared returning to his country, as first reported by Fox News journalist Bill Melugin.
Immigration officials accepted his claims, which gave him a case for asylum in the US under American immigration law that would be tested in court.
Singh was freed on a $5,000 immigration bond in January 2019 while his case was pending, as is standard practice for asylum seekers.
He was given a notice to appear before an immigration judge at a later date, but the huge backlog of asylum claims meant he never saw a courtroom.
After his release, Singh traveled back to California and somehow acquired a commercial driver’s license.
Singh stayed under the radar until August 12, when he attempted an illegal U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike near Fort Pierce.
Harjinder Singh, pictured, right, killed three people after performing an illegal U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike near Fort Pierce on August 12
Singh was initially slated for expedited deportation following his capture crossing into California in 2018, but evaded this by claiming asylum due to his fear.
Sickening footage from the cab of the truck showed a black minivan traveling at speed slam into the trailer as Singh began to turn.
All three occupants of the van were killed. Its driver – a 30 year-old man from Florida City – died after being flown to hospital by helicopter.
The passengers who also died were a 37 year-old woman from Pompano Beach and a 54 year-old man from Miami, NBC6 reported.
None of their identities have been released so far.
He is now facing three counts of vehicular homicide, each punishable by up to 15 years in prison, after which he faces automatic deportation as a felon.
His actions have sparked a fresh debate about immigration, with critics saying that Singh’s victims would be alive had he been deported as originally intended.
Floridian Governor Ron DeSantis claimed Singh ‘should have never been in our country in the first place!’ in a tweet on Monday morning.
However, Singh’s asylum claim was following the usual established procedure for determining whether he should be allowed to stay in the US long-term, but was delayed numerous times due to strain on the system.
All three occupants of this black minivan died after slamming into Singh’s trailer. The driver was a 30 year-old man, while the passengers were a 37 year-old woman and 54 year-old man. They have yet to be identified
The Department of Homeland Security issued a detainer on him on Saturday after the crash, applying to have him deported.
After careful consideration of all factors and available records, Singh is considered a significant threat to public safety and is an exceptional circumstance warranting enforcement action due to the serious nature of his criminal history,’ it said.
Video from inside his enormous semi-truck shows the moment he casually began performing a U-turn on a highway, failing to consider other cars on the road traveling at speed.
As he took up the entire highway, a minivan crashed directly into the side of the truck, unable to break quick enough to prevent the tragedy.
The area in which Singh was attempting to turn around was an ‘official use only’ pass, as was clearly stated on a no U-urn sign in front of it.
In the video, Singh remained calm as it became apparent the minivan had been completely demolished, with debris strewn across the highway.
He peered out the driver’s side window immediately after the impact, before wordlessly putting the truck in park and turning off his engine.
As he took up the entire highway, a minivan crashed directly into the side of the truck, unable to break quick enough to prevent the tragedy
Moments later, Singh was caught on camera watching on as emergency services crews worked to free the mangled car from underneath the truck.
He stood with his arms slack by his side just a few steps away from rescue crews, peering at the camera as it panned to catch the devastation of the crash.
‘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,’ Dave Kerner from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said.
‘The actions taken by the defendant while operating a commercial tractor-trailer are both shocking and criminal.
‘Harjinder Singh is in custody on state vehicular homicide charges and immigration violations.
‘He will no longer be able to damage and destroy the lives of Floridians and visitors.’
