FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the state will investigate White Hawk Carriers Inc., the trucking company linked to a crash on the Florida Turnpike that killed three people on August 12.
Authorities confirmed that Harjinder Singh, the semi-truck driver involved in the incident, is expected to be extradited back to Florida on Thursday to face three counts of vehicular homicide. DeSantis emphasized the importance of scrutinizing the company, questioning whether they verified Singh's English proficiency prior to employment.
Federal investigations indicated that Singh failed both an English test and a road sign exam. Transportation expert James Lewis noted that White Hawk Carriers has a history of safety violations, with over 80 infractions documented by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in the past two years.
On the day of the crash, the U.S. Department of Transportation downgraded the company's operating credentials, restricting it to California. “This truck should not have been in Florida or any other state except California,” Lewis stated.
Records show White Hawk has faced significant operational issues, including 47 inspections with 11 trucks placed out of service for major violations. Additionally, the company recorded multiple unsafe driving practices and has been cited for falsified driver logs.
Attempts to reach White Hawk Carriers for comment were unsuccessful, and the company is currently marked as “permanently closed.”
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.