Indian Truck Driver Arrested in Deadly California Crash That Killed Three, Sparks Immigration and Safety Debate

A 21-year-old Indian national, Jashanpreet Singh, has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter after a fiery crash on California’s I-10 Freeway killed three people and injured four others. Authorities say Singh, who entered the United States illegally in 2022, was under the influence of drugs when his semi-truck slammed into slow-moving traffic in San Bernardino County on Tuesday afternoon.

Dashcam footage released by ABC7 News shows Singh’s Freightliner truck speeding toward a traffic jam near Ontario, east of Los Angeles, before plowing into an SUV, triggering a chain reaction involving eight vehicles, including four big rigs. The impact caused a massive explosion that engulfed multiple vehicles in flames. Police confirmed Singh never hit the brakes, and toxicology tests showed he was impaired.

The victims included a 54-year-old man from Upland, while two others were burned beyond recognition. “It’s horrific — three families will get the worst news of their lives,” said Officer Rodrigo Jimenez of the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

Authorities later confirmed that Singh had crossed into the US illegally through California’s El Centro sector in March 2022 and was released under the Biden administration’s “alternatives to detention” policy. He has no legal immigration status, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has now issued a detainer against him.

Officials are also investigating how Singh obtained employment as a truck driver and whether he possessed a valid commercial licence. The crash has reignited political debate over immigration enforcement and road safety, with US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticising California for failing to meet federal safety standards.

Singh is being held without bail at San Bernardino County Jail, with his next court hearing scheduled in Rancho Cucamonga. The CHP said preliminary findings point to driver impairment as the main cause of the tragedy.