Indian trucker high on drugs kills 3 in fiery California crash, says US Police

A 21-year-old Indian trucker, Jashanpreet Singh, allegedly under the influence of drugs, caused a devastating crash on California’s I-10 Freeway recently, killing three people and injuring four others.

Singh, who entered the United States illegally in March 2022, was driving a Freightliner tractor-trailer when he plowed into slow-moving traffic near the I-15 junction in Ontario, east of Los Angeles.

The collision triggered a chain reaction involving eight vehicles, including four big rigs, and sparked a massive fire that engulfed multiple vehicles.

Dashcam footage obtained by ABC7 News shows Singh speeding toward a traffic jam without braking before crashing into an SUV, setting off flames that would claim three lives. Toxicology reports later confirmed he was high on drugs at the time.

One of the victims has been identified as a 54-year-old man from Upland, while the other two were burned beyond recognition. Among the injured was a roadside mechanic helping change a tyre.

California Highway Patrol Officer Rodrigo Jimenez described the scene as “horrific,” adding, “It’s hard knowing these families will receive the worst news of their lives… This is a reminder of how precious life is and how quickly it can be taken away by someone driving irresponsibly.”

Singh, who was living in Yuba City, Northern California, at the time of the crash, has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and is being held without bail at San Bernardino County Jail.

Investigators are also reviewing whether he held a valid commercial driver’s license and how he was employed as a truck driver despite lacking legal immigration status.

The crash has reignited debates over immigration enforcement and truck safety regulations. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticized California for ignoring federal driver standards, noting that the state has lost $40 million in federal highway safety funds for failing to enforce basic English and road safety requirements for commercial drivers.

The incident echoes a similar fatal crash in Florida last August involving Harjinder Singh, another Indian illegal immigrant, who also obtained a commercial driver’s license despite being undocumented, raising further concerns about state compliance with federal safety rules.