Another Indian-origin driver Jashanpreet Singh arrested for fatal accident in the US

CALIFORNIA: A 21-year-old Indian-origin truck driver, Jashanpreet Singh from Yuba City, has been arrested in connection with a deadly multi-vehicle crash on California’s 10 Freeway in Ontario that left three people dead and at least four others injured.

According to reports from KTLA and ABC7 Los Angeles, the chain-reaction collision occurred on Tuesday afternoon when Singh, allegedly under the influence of drugs, failed to slow down his speeding semi-truck in congested traffic. The impact triggered a fiery explosion that eyewitnesses described as “devastating.”

The California Highway Patrol stated that Singh’s truck slammed into several vehicles that were stopped or moving slowly due to traffic congestion. Emergency responders worked for hours to extinguish the blaze and rescue trapped victims.

Singh has been booked into the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga and is facing multiple charges, including vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence of drugs.

Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin, citing multiple sources, reported that Singh is an undocumented immigrant from India who was released at the California border by federal authorities in 2022.

The incident has drawn widespread outrage on social media, with many users mourning the victims and questioning how Singh was able to obtain a commercial driver’s license. The crash has also reignited concerns about drug use and road safety among commercial drivers in California.

Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims.

CRASH DETAILS

On Tuesday, a horrific crash on California’s Interstate 10 Freeway claimed three lives and injured six others. The collision involved a semi-truck driven by a 21-year-old Indian-origin man, later identified as Jashanpreet Singh.

Dashcam footage obtained by local media channels captured the moment the semi-truck slammed into the back of an SUV, setting off a chain reaction that involved at least eight vehicles. The impact triggered a massive fireball, with witnesses describing scenes of chaos and destruction on the freeway.

Authorities said the crash occurred around 1:10 PM (local time). Preliminary investigations by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) indicate that Singh was under the influence of drugs at the time of the accident.

Singh now faces multiple charges, including vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence. While some online users have claimed that he entered the United States illegally, officials have not yet confirmed his immigration status.

The tragedy comes just two months after a similar incident in Florida, where another Indian-origin truck driver Harjinder Singh caused a fatal crash on August 12 by making an illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike. That accident also claimed three lives, and the trial in that case is still underway.