On August 12, 2025, a devastating crash on Florida’s Turnpike near Fort Pierce claimed three lives and set off a political firestorm stretching from Sacramento to Washington, D.C. At the center of the controversy is Harjinder Singh, a 28-year-old truck driver from Stockton, California, who now faces three counts of vehicular homicide and possible deportation after authorities say his illegal U-turn in an unauthorized area led to the fatal collision.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), Singh was driving a 2024 International semi-tractor trailer northbound near mile marker 171 in St. Lucie County when he attempted to execute a U-turn in a section of the highway marked for “official use only.” The maneuver blocked all northbound lanes, leaving a black 2015 Chrysler Town & Country minivan with no time to react. The minivan, carrying three people—a 30-year-old man from Florida City, a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach, and a 54-year-old man from Miami—slammed into the trailer and became wedged under it. Two of the victims died at the scene, and the third passed away later at Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce, as reported by USA TODAY Network.
After the crash, Singh and a male companion left Florida, flying to Sacramento, California. U.S. Marshals arrested Singh in Stockton on August 16 after securing a Florida arrest warrant. In a San Joaquin County Superior Court hearing, Singh agreed to waive extradition and return to Florida to face the vehicular homicide charges.
The tragedy soon became a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration, driver licensing, and public safety. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it had initiated deportation proceedings against Singh, seeking to revoke his legal status due to the severity of the incident. Federal officials revealed that Singh entered the United States illegally in 2018 via the southern border, and that his initial application for work authorization had been denied by the Trump administration in September 2020. However, his work permit was later approved under the Biden administration in June 2021, a fact that quickly became a point of contention.
“This gut-wrenching tragedy should have never happened,” declared DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in a post on X, blaming California’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for issuing Singh a commercial driver’s license (CDL) despite his immigration status. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy echoed the criticism, stating, “Non-enforcement and radical immigration policies have turned the trucking industry into a lawless frontier, resulting in unqualified foreign drivers improperly acquiring licenses to operate 40-ton vehicles. We will use every tool at our disposal to hold these states and bad actors accountable. The families of the deceased deserve justice.” (Transport Topics)
Investigators from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) launched a comprehensive probe, not just into the crash itself but also into Singh’s qualifications and the procedures followed in granting him a CDL. The findings were alarming. During an English Language Proficiency assessment administered by FMCSA investigators, Singh answered only two of twelve verbal questions correctly and could identify just one of four highway traffic signs. Failure on such a test would ordinarily disqualify a driver from operating a commercial vehicle, yet Singh had managed to obtain CDLs in both Washington and California.
According to Fox News, Singh was first issued a regular full-term CDL in Washington state on July 15, 2023—even though Washington law requires CDL applicants to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Singh, still awaiting a decision on his asylum application, did not meet those criteria. A year later, California granted him a limited-term, non-domiciled CDL on July 23, 2024, taking advantage of state policies that allow asylum seekers with valid work permits to obtain commercial licenses. Federal regulations, however, prohibit holding more than one active CDL, raising further questions about regulatory compliance.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office responded forcefully to the allegations, insisting that the state had followed all applicable laws. “The federal government confirmed Mr Singh’s legal presence in the US,” the California DMV said in a statement. “Mr Singh’s commercial driver’s license is a federal REAL ID, which he was entitled to receive given the federal government’s confirmation of his legal status.” Newsom’s press office accused DHS of political motives and federal overreach, stating on X, “The Trump administration is either lying or clueless. The driver in this case was reissued an Employment Authorization (work permit) on 4/9/2025 and, if my math is correct, that falls within the current presidential term.”
Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and FMCSA investigations have broadened to include White Hawk Carriers, Singh’s employer at the time of the crash. Two days after the incident, FMCSA investigators arrived at the company’s Ceres, California, headquarters to review driver qualification files, examine in-cab and forward-facing video footage, and interview staff. White Hawk Carriers, which had DOT out-of-service ratings above the national average for both vehicles and drivers as of July 25, 2025, has not yet issued a public statement regarding the crash or Singh’s employment.
Industry leaders have weighed in as well. Dan Horvath, chief operating officer of the American Trucking Associations, said, “We support Secretary Duffy’s decision to launch an investigation into the company and driver involved. While we won’t speculate ahead of the findings, we are confident this process will shed light on what led to this tragedy and help answer many critical questions.”
The case has also reignited debate over state and federal responsibilities in regulating commercial drivers. California and Washington are among nineteen states (plus the District of Columbia) that issue driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, though the rules for commercial licenses are more restrictive. Critics argue that such policies undermine public safety by allowing unqualified individuals to operate large, potentially deadly vehicles. Supporters, including Newsom’s administration, counter that the federal government is responsible for verifying legal status and that states are simply following the rules as written.
Adding to the controversy, the New Mexico State Police had pulled Singh over for speeding on July 3, 2025, and conducted a roadside inspection. However, officers did not administer the English proficiency test required by law as of June 25, 2025—a missed opportunity, according to DOT officials, to identify Singh’s lack of language skills before tragedy struck.
As the legal and regulatory battles continue, the families of the victims are left to mourn their loved ones and demand accountability. The Department of Homeland Security has lodged a federal arrest detainer to ensure Singh remains in custody after his state prosecution concludes. “This detainer ensures he will be transferred to ICE custody the moment his criminal case concludes,” DHS stated.
Singh’s case is now a lightning rod in the ongoing national debate over immigration, licensing, and highway safety. With investigations ongoing and political tensions high, the outcome may shape future policy—and lives—well beyond the Florida Turnpike.
