ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A crash involving a semi-truck and a minivan on the Florida Turnpike resulted in three fatalities on August 12.
Authorities reported that Harjinder Singh, the truck driver, entered the U.S. illegally in 2018 but obtained a commercial driver's license in California. Witnesses indicated that Singh attempted an illegal U-turn at an access point near mile marker 171, blocking all northbound lanes and giving the minivan no time to react.
Two passengers in the minivan, Rodrigue Dor and Faniola Joseph, were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, Herby Dufresne, was rescued but later succumbed to injuries at the hospital. Fire rescue teams had to extricate victims from the minivan, which showed no signs of braking or evasive maneuvers.
Troopers interviewed Singh's passenger, Harneet Singh, who stated he was on his phone and unaware of why Harjinder made the U-turn. Harjinder refused to speak to law enforcement without a lawyer present. He faces six felony charges, including three counts of vehicular homicide, and was denied bond, deemed a substantial flight risk.
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner remarked on the gravity of Singh's actions, highlighting the concern about his commercial license status. The advocacy organization Sikhs for Justice announced plans to offer $100,000 to the families of the victims.
An investigation is ongoing, and authorities continue to assess the circumstances surrounding the crash.