Sikh Community Holds Vigil for Crash Victims in Fort Pierce
FORT PIERCE, Fla. (WPEC) — Members of the Sikh community gathered outside the St. Lucie County Jail on Thursday afternoon to honor three victims of a fatal crash and advocate for a fair trial for Harjinder Singh, the truck driver accused in the incident.
The vigil, organized by Sikhs For Justice, included a special Sikh prayer known as an Ardas, focusing on solidarity with the victims' families. The victims—30-year-old Herby Dufresne, 37-year-old Faniola Joseph, and 54-year-old Rodrique Dor—were killed when a minivan collided with Singh's stopped tractor-trailer after he allegedly attempted an illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike earlier this month.
According to authorities, Singh's tractor-trailer blocked all lanes of traffic, resulting in the crash. A human rights lawyer from Sikhs For Justice met with Singh earlier this week and emphasized that his case stemmed from tragic misjudgment rather than malicious intent. “To portray him as a malicious killer would be very unfair and wrong,” said attorney Gurpatwant Pannun.
While Pannun is not representing Singh in court, Sikhs For Justice plans to provide $100,000 in financial support to the victims' families. The prayer vigil began at 1:30 p.m. at the St. Lucie County Jail, drawing participants from Sikh communities nationwide.
For ongoing updates, subscribe to local news outlets or follow their online platforms.