Tallahassi, Florida, USA: Harjinder Singh, a 28-year-old Indian-origin truck driver, is facing charges after allegedly making an illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike on August 12, causing a crash that killed three people in a minivan.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier revealed that Singh could not speak English or read road signs, questioning how he was granted a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Singh’s employer, WhiteHawk Carriers, led by CEO Navneet Kaur, has been served with civil and criminal subpoenas, requiring all hiring and employment documents to be submitted.
Authorities are also investigating California and Washington, the states linked to Singh’s license issuance. Uthmeier stressed that Singh “should never have received a CDL.”
Singh, who entered the U.S. illegally in 2018, later applied for asylum and received a work permit and license while his case was pending. He was denied bond and is now held in St. Lucie County Jail after extradition from California. His brother has also been detained, and both may face deportation to India.
The case has sparked wider action: U.S. Senator Marco Rubio has pushed to halt work visas for commercial truck drivers, while the Department of Transportation is reviewing enforcement of English proficiency rules.
