A 21-year-old semi-truck driver arrested after a multi-vehicle pile-up that killed three people was granted a commercial driver’s license (CDL) by California, according to the White House. Jashanpreet Singh, an Indian national who entered the U.S. illegally in 2022, faces charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated after allegedly crashing his big rig into slow-moving traffic on the I-10 Freeway in San Bernardino County.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that California issued Singh a CDL and highlighted ongoing efforts by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to address “a disturbing pattern” of licenses being given to individuals who do not meet requirements. She stated that Singh was released into the country by the previous administration and has since been detained on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs.
According to law enforcement, Singh failed to apply his brakes before plowing into a traffic jam, causing a chain reaction crash that killed three people. Toxicology tests confirmed impairment, and investigators noted he was speeding at the time of the incident. Two victims identified so far are Clarence Nelson, a former assistant basketball coach, and his wife, Lisa. Four others sustained injuries ranging from minor to severe and were hospitalized.
Singh is scheduled to appear in court and is being held without bail. Federal sources indicated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed a detainer request on him, though he has not yet been formally charged. A separate fatal accident in Indiana last week also involved a semi-truck driver who was in the country illegally, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The crash has sparked calls for stricter enforcement of immigration and licensing policies, with critics emphasizing the preventable nature of the tragedy.
