FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — Over 2.8 million individuals have signed a petition urging leniency for Harjinder Singh, 28, the undocumented truck driver facing severe charges after a crash that killed three people on the Florida Turnpike.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Singh attempted an illegal U-turn in an “official use only” area near mile marker 171, crossing all northbound lanes and colliding with a 2015 Chrysler Town & Country minivan, resulting in the deaths of all three occupants.
Initially charged with three counts of vehicular homicide, Singh faced three additional counts of manslaughter during a court appearance following his extradition from California. The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office stated that he obstructed traffic with his truck prior to the crash.
The Collective Punjabi Youth initiated the petition on Change.org, arguing that the crash was unintentional and asserting Singh has no prior record. They seek a reduced sentence, contrasting his case with that of Rogel Aguilera-Mederos, a Colorado driver who received a long sentence for a fatal accident attributed to brake failure.
Singh's case gained attention when the petition became the fastest-growing of the year on Change.org, attracting over 2 million signatures within 48 hours. However, Governor Ron DeSantis's office stated there will be “no deal,” emphasizing that criminal actions have consequences.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles confirmed ongoing enforcement actions against Singh, who entered the U.S. illegally in 2018 and later obtained a commercial driver's license in California. Investigators noted Singh's failure to check on the victims after the accident, described by Sheriff Richard Del Toro as both reckless and concerning.