A truck driver accused of killing three individuals in a tragic crash after making an illegal U-turn has been returned to Florida, according to authorities. The driver, Harjinder Singh, 28, was escorted back to the Sunshine State by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Harjinder Singh, who is not a U.S. citizen, reportedly entered the country illegally from Mexico in 2018. Following his entry, he obtained a commercial driver's license in California. Singh arrived in Fort Pierce after being personally escorted by Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins. The governor emphasized the reckless nature of Singh's actions, stating, “Nobody in their right mind could think they could make a U-turn like that without causing some kind of crash. People are driving 70, sometimes in excess of 70 miles an hour,” highlighting the dangerous conditions on the road.
In a press conference, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis raised concerns about Singh's language skills, questioning how someone unable to understand English could operate a large truck. “How are you gonna operate some big rig when you don't understand the road signs?” he asked, stressing the importance of competency for safety in the trucking industry.
The National Immigration Law Center points out that 19 states, along with the District of Columbia, issue driver's licenses regardless of immigration status. In response to the incident, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a pause on all worker visas for commercial truck drivers, further intensifying the discussion around licensing and immigration in the trucking industry.
The American Trucking Association has reported a national shortage of approximately 60,000 drivers, raising concerns about the industry’s capacity to meet demand. Al Hanley, chief operating officer of The CDL School, noted that the State Department's decision regarding worker visas might not alleviate the shortage but could increase the value of current U.S. drivers. “The individual U.S. driver, there's now more value to him in the industry. They're gonna earn more,” Hanley explained.
Hanley also emphasized that the recent visa pause would not affect Florida, where only U.S. citizens are eligible for driver's licenses. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration clarified that it does not issue commercial licenses, which are managed by individual states. “We want clear, consistent regulatory frameworks that make it easy for students to comply, and for us to comply,” Hanley added, underlining the need for clarity in regulations.
The investigation following the fatal crash continues, with officials yet to release the names of the three victims. The U.S. Department of Transportation is currently looking into Singh, the circumstances surrounding the crash, and the carrier he was employed by, aiming to determine the factors that led to this tragic incident.
