ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — A truck driver who made an illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike in St. Lucie County, Fla. was arrested.
The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) announced the arrest via press release on Saturday.
State Troopers responded to a crash involving a mini-van and a commercial semi-truck and trailer.
“Based upon our initial, but on-going criminal investigation, it is evident that the driver of the commercial semi-truck recklessly, and without regard for the safety of others, attempted to execute a U-Turn utilizing an unauthorized location. As a result of his actions, the three occupants of the mini-van are now deceased,” the release stated.
The semi truck driver was identified as Harjinder Singh, for three counts of vehicular homicide.
“During the course of this criminal investigation and with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), State Troopers determined that Harjinder Singh entered the United States illegally, having crossed the Mexico border in 2018,” the release stated. “The Defendant then obtained a Commercial Driver’s License in the state of California. Under the federal authority delegated by ICE to FHP State Troopers through the 287 (g) program, State Troopers issued an ICE detainer.”
“The actions taken by the Defendant while operating a commercial tractor-trailer are both shocking and criminal”, said Executive Director Dave Kerner. “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. 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. At the conclusion of his state charges, he will be deported. The Florida Highway Patrol remains committed to enforcing both state and federal law to ensure that people that are a danger to others face justice behind bars.”
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
this needs to be national news as well as the other accidents that have involved foreign drivers in the past year or two there have been multiple people killed across now Florida but Tennessee twice in Texas Colorado Minnesota and those are just the ones that I’m aware of I’m sure there are more
California giving out CDL to illegal immigrants is totally illegal by Federal law. California needs to have all CDL applications approved through FMCSA and ICE. It’s time to sensor California CDL program.
I don’t understand how they’re getting a CDL in this country.
I agree with previous comment all accidents that involve foreign drivers needs to be national news!
all driver’s need to read and write English. All tractor driving school needs to pass a English and writing tests and etc. All school need to have a physical living in the United States more and 20yrs and plus education. they need to Crack down on school & etc. no more skipping the line while driver’s are trying to get there cdl.
The question – in all these cases – has to be: “Why/How did these people get a CDL?” An illegal immigrant as “owner operator”? Or was he hired as a company driver? If so, it is the trucking company that is ultimately responsible, because they hired someone with no history. Entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 2018… How could this person be hired? And above all, there are enough citizens with CDL that are also driving reckless. After 41 years German CDL, I graduated ten days ago with a CDL-A. During the time at school I was commuting on I-75 and every day there was a dangerous situation involving a commercial vehicle. Reckless driving by both trucks and passenger cars. People are driving on our roads that should have never gotten a driver’s license. I don’t have a dash cam, but it would show the criminal driving that takes place.