Illegal immigrant trucker accused of causing fatal crash appears in court wearing turban he requested
Jashanpreet Singh, a 21-year-old Indian migrant, pleaded not guilty to all charges. AP
A 21-year-old Indian immigrant accused of causing a deadly multi-vehicle crash in California appeared in court Monday wearing a turban, a request that had not been granted during his previous appearances.
Jashanpreet Singh is charged with causing a collision involving eight vehicles on the westbound 10 Freeway in San Bernardino County last October, which left three people dead.
Monday’s hearing was delayed by about three hours as officials awaited a Punjabi translator for Singh. He appeared in standard orange jail attire, this time with his Sikh turban on his head, which he had been allowed to wear in his mugshot photo but not during earlier court dates.
The hearing itself was brief. Singh did not directly question or address the judge, and his attorney requested a continuance, which was granted. He is scheduled to appear in court again on January 16.
Singh faces three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and reckless driving. Authorities initially charged him with vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, but the charge was dropped after tests found no drugs or alcohol in his system. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Under the current charges, he could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Video of the crash shows Singh’s truck colliding with the rear of an SUV, causing a chain reaction that involved multiple vehicles and led to fires, including another semi-truck.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) placed part of the blame on California’s government, saying that the state unlawfully upgraded Singh’s commercial driver’s license in response to a new federal law that barred undocumented immigrants from holding such licenses. The DOT report notes Singh’s license upgrade coincided with his 21st birthday.
“California broke the law and now three people are dead and two are hospitalized,” said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “These people deserve justice. There will be consequences.” Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin added that the accident “follows a disturbing trend of illegal aliens driving 18-wheelers and semi-trucks on America’s roads.”
Authorities believe Singh entered the U.S. illegally through the southern border in 2022. Another Indian immigrant, Harjinder Singh, is facing homicide and immigration violation charges after allegedly killing three people in a similar truck crash in Florida last summer while operating under a California-issued CDL.
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