The Department of Transportation announced preliminary findings Tuesday concerning a recent triple-fatal crash caused by an illegal immigrant truck driver making an illegal U-turn on a Florida highway.
Harjinder Singh was arrested Saturday in Stockton, California, on three counts of vehicular homicide. He entered the United States illegally in 2018, and his work authorization was rejected under the Trump administration in 2020, according to Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin, Fox News reported.
Singh worked for California-based White Hawk Carriers, Inc.
Singh made a U-turn on the Florida Turnpike near Fort Pierce last week as he attempted to cross the median through an “official use only” route.
His truck blocked all lanes of traffic, and a minivan slammed into the vehicle at full speed, killing a 37-year-old Pompano Beach woman, a 30-year-old Florida City man, and a 54-year-old Miami man, according to the New York Post.
An illegal immigrant truck driver has been arrested and faces deportation after allegedly attempting to make an unauthorized U-turn in Florida — resulting in a crash that killed three people. pic.twitter.com/UmX06lc6yF
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 18, 2025
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration investigators determined that the native of India does not speak English, as is required by law for truck drivers for safety reasons. In spite of that, he was issued a driver’s license in Washington State and New Mexico in violation of FMCSA rules, the DOT said in a Tuesday news release.
In July 2024, California also issued a commercial driver’s license to Singh, which federal authorities are also reviewing for legality.
Should whomever approved his Commercial Driver’s License face charges as well?
“FMCSA investigators began its on-site compliance investigation on August 14, 2025 at the motor carrier’s premises in California. During the initial phase of the compliance investigation, investigators reviewed driver qualification files, obtained in-cab and forward-facing video footage of the crash, and conducted interviews with key personnel including the crash-involved driver,” the DOT said.
“During FMCSA’s interview with the driver, investigators administered an English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessment in accordance with FMCSA guidance. The driver failed the assessment, providing correct responses to just 2 of 12 verbal questions and only accurately identifying 1 of 4 highway traffic signs,” the agency added.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration administered an English Language Proficiency test to the semi-truck driver who killed three while doing an illegal U-turn in Florida.
He only answered 2 of 12 verbal questions correctly and could only accurately identify 1 of 4… pic.twitter.com/Dncc7DkONU
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) August 19, 2025
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said regarding the accident, “If states had followed the rules, this driver would never have been behind the wheel and three precious lives would still be with us. This crash was a preventable tragedy directly caused by reckless decisions and compounded by despicable failures.”
NEW: Three k*lled after semi-truck makes U-turn on Florida Turnpike
A semi-truck tried to make a U-turn at an “Official Use Only” turn and crossed in front of a minivan in the left lane
The 30-year-old driver of the minivan and his two passengers, a 37-year-old woman and a… pic.twitter.com/PVox2vE17h
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) August 15, 2025
“Non-enforcement and radical immigration policies have turned the trucking industry into a lawless frontier, resulting in unqualified foreign drivers improperly acquiring licenses to operate 40-ton vehicles,” Duffy continued.
“We will use every tool at our disposal to hold these states and bad actors accountable. President Trump and I will restore safety to our roads. The families of the deceased deserve justice,” he said.
McLaughlin blamed California, in part, for the deaths, posting on social media, “3 innocent people were killed in Florida because Gavin Newsom’s California DMV issued an illegal alien a Commercial Driver’s License — this state of governance is asinine.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office fired back, “Hey, genius: the federal government (TRUMP ADMIN) already confirmed that this guy meets federal and state immigration requirements — YOU issued him a work permit (EAD).”
False. Harjinder Singh is in the United States illegally and his work authorization was rejected under the Trump Administration on September 14, 2020. It was later approved under the Biden Administration June 9, 2021.
The state of California issues Commercial Drivers Licenses.… https://t.co/4YSs3qIj2B
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) August 18, 2025
McLaughlin replied, “False. Harjinder Singh is in the United States illegally and his work authorization was rejected under the Trump Administration on September 14, 2020. It was later approved under the Biden Administration June 9, 2021. The state of California issues Commercial Drivers Licenses. There is no national CDL.”
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