Vigil Held for Victims of Fatal Crash in Fort Pierce
FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Members of the Sikh community are gathering outside the St. Lucie County Jail on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. to honor the victims of a deadly crash and advocate for a fair trial for Harjinder Singh, the truck driver charged in the incident.
According to the investigation, Singh was attempting an illegal U-turn on the Florida Turnpike earlier this month, which resulted in his tractor-trailer blocking all lanes of traffic. A minivan collided with the trailer, leading to the deaths of all three individuals inside, identified as 30-year-old Herby Dufresne, 37-year-old Faniola Joseph, and 54-year-old Rodrique Dor.
Sikhs For Justice, an international advocacy group, is organizing the vigil, which will include a special Sikh prayer known as Ardas. Leaders of the organization said the event aims to show solidarity with the victims' families and support for Singh, who is currently in custody.
Gurpatwant Pannun, a human rights lawyer who met with Singh earlier this week, described the case as a “tragic misjudgment” rather than an intentional act. Pannun noted that Singh appeared to be grieving and distressed, emphasizing that depicting him as a malicious killer would be wrong.
While not officially representing Singh in court, Sikhs For Justice has pledged $100,000 in financial support for the victims' families. The case has garnered attention from Sikh communities nationwide, with many traveling to Fort Pierce for the vigil.
Emergency services responded to the scene of the accident, and the incident remains under investigation.