FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — A crash on the Florida Turnpike claimed three lives on August 12, when a minivan collided with a semi-truck making an illegal U-turn.
The driver of the semi, Harjinder Singh, 28, is detained and charged with three counts of vehicular homicide. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Singh executed the U-turn near mile marker 171, blocking all northbound lanes and leaving the minivan no chance to stop.
All three occupants of the minivan, whose identities have not been disclosed, were from Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
Singh was arrested at the scene and is currently held in St. Lucie County Jail. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has filed a detainer for his deportation following the conclusion of his state case.
Authorities confirmed that Singh entered the U.S. illegally in 2018 and subsequently obtained a commercial driver's license in California, which allows undocumented immigrants to apply for such licenses.
The crash has raised concerns among Florida officials and the Department of Homeland Security. Executive Director of Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Dave Kerner deemed Singh's actions “shocking and criminal.”
DHS criticized California's licensing policy, linking it to the incident.
The trucking industry is also responding, with veteran driver Grant Maxey highlighting concerns over licensing and training standards, emphasizing the ongoing issues faced in recent years.
Under Florida law, commercial trucks are barred from using “Official Use Only” U-turns, a regulation Singh reportedly violated, leading directly to the fatal incident.