Indian-origin truck driver facing homicide charges in US denied bond
An Indian-origin truck driver accused of making an illegal U-turn that killed three people in Florida last week was denied bond on Saturday.
The crash sparked a clash between US Department of Homeland Security and California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom over Harjinder Singh, a native of India, obtaining a work permit and driver’s licence in the state. The Trump administration says Singh was in the US illegally.
Singh was charged with three state counts of vehicular homicide and immigration violations, and he was denied bond on all charges. He is being held in the St Lucie County Jail, Lt Andrew Bolonka from the St Lucie County Sheriff’s Office said. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has put a hold on him.
Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said issuing a commercial licence to someone in the country illegally is “asinine”. California is one of 19 states, in addition to the District of Columbia, that issues licences regardless of immigration status.
Newsom’s press office responded on X that Singh obtained a work permit while Donald Trump was president, which McLaughlin disputed.
Florida authorities said Singh entered the US illegally from Mexico in 2018.
Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis dispatched Lt Governor Jay Collins to California to escort Singh onto an aeroplane on Thursday.
Singh made the illegal turn on the highway about 50 miles north of West Palm Beach, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. A minivan in the neighboring lane was unable to avoid the truck’s trailer and slammed into it, killing the minivan’s driver and two passengers.
Singh and a passenger in his truck were not injured.
Top News