ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — Civil and criminal subpoenas have been issued to the employer of a semi-truck driver charged in a crash on Florida's Turnpike that killed three people on August 12, 2023.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the subpoenas during a news conference on Thursday in Hillsborough County. The driver, 28-year-old Harjinder Singh, was employed by White Hawk Carriers, based in Ceres, California, at the time of the incident.
Singh obtained a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) in California and Washington after entering the U.S. illegally in 2018. The Department of Homeland Security denied his work authorization in 2020, but it was later approved in 2021. Authorities have requested records and communications from White Hawk Carriers related to Singh's employment and licensing.
Uthmeier emphasized the need for accountability, stating, “We will use every legal tool at our disposal to protect our citizens.” He noted that Singh reportedly did not speak English; however, a video showed him communicating in English during a previous traffic stop.
Singh faces three counts of vehicular homicide and three counts of manslaughter and is currently held without bond at the St. Lucie County jail.
Federal records indicate White Hawk Carriers has over 80 violations in the past two years, leading to the company's credentials being downgraded the same day as the crash.