Semi-Truck Driver Arrested in Fatal California Freeway Crash Identified as Indian National in U.S. Illegally

A semi-truck driver involved in a fatal eight-vehicle collision on California's 10 Freeway has been identified as an Indian national who entered the United States illegally in 2022, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The crash, which occurred on Tuesday in Ontario, resulted in three fatalities and four injuries.

The driver, 21-year-old Jashanpreet Singh, resides in Yuba City, California. He was arrested by California Highway Patrol officers on charges including driving under the influence of drugs causing bodily injury and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. Singh is currently detained at the West Valley Detention Center in San Bernardino without bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday in Rancho Cucamonga.

DHS officials confirmed Singh's illegal entry into the U.S. in 2022 via the U.S.-Mexico border. Authorities are investigating whether he possessed a valid commercial driver's license at the time of the crash.

In August, the U.S. government paused the issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers to review screening and vetting protocols. A State Department spokesperson stated, "As we have seen with recent deadly accidents, foreign truckers can pose risks to American lives, U.S. national security, and foreign policy interests."

This incident follows a similar case in Florida, where a semi-truck driver, Harjinder Singh, also an Indian national who entered the U.S. illegally, was involved in a fatal crash. He obtained a commercial driver's license from California, leading to a lawsuit alleging that California and Washington failed to comply with federal safety and immigration-status requirements when issuing such licenses.