Illegal Immigrant Arrested After Deadly Turnpike Crash in St. Lucie County
ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — An illegal immigrant has been arrested following a fatal crash on Florida's Turnpike on Tuesday.
Authorities said a semi-truck attempted a U-turn in an “official use only” area, leading to a collision with a minivan. All three occupants of the minivan died, identified as a 30-year-old man from Florida City, a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach, and a 54-year-old man from Miami.
The truck driver, Harjinder Singh, now faces three counts of vehicular homicide. Officials confirmed that Singh had a 25-year-old passenger at the time of the incident and illegally entered the U.S. by crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018.
Grant Maxey, a commercial truck driver with 30 years of experience, criticized Singh's reckless actions. “There's no reason for it,” he stated. “He could've taken the next exit and avoided this tragedy.”
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner released a statement expressing condolences, emphasizing the lasting impact on the victims' families. “Harjinder Singh is in custody on state vehicular homicide charges and immigration violations,” he stated, noting Singh's potential impact on Florida residents.
Singh is being held on an ICE detainer and will face deportation after his state charges are resolved. He is currently incarcerated in a California jail.