Fatal Crash on Florida's Turnpike Involves Illegal Immigrant Driver
ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — An illegal immigrant has been arrested following a fatal crash on Florida's Turnpike on Tuesday.
Authorities said a semi-truck making an illegal U-turn in an “official use only” area collided with a minivan, resulting in the deaths of all three occupants. The victims included a 30-year-old man from Florida City, a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach, and a 54-year-old man from Miami.
The truck driver, Harjinder Singh, faces three counts of vehicular homicide. At the time of the incident, a 25-year-old passenger was in the vehicle with him. Officials confirmed Singh entered the United States illegally by crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018.
Grant Maxey, a 30-year veteran of commercial trucking, criticized Singh's actions as senseless, stating there were safer alternatives to navigate the roadway.
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner released a statement regarding the tragedy: “Three people lost their lives as a result of his recklessness… Harjinder Singh is in custody on state vehicular homicide charges and immigration violations.”
Singh is currently held on an ICE detainer and will face deportation following his state charges.