A dashcam video that has recently gone viral shows a tragic chain-reaction crash on a California freeway caused by 21-year-old Indian-origin truck driver Jashanpreet Singh. The footage captures Singh’s semi-truck plowing into at least nine vehicles in slow-moving traffic east of the I-10 and I-15 junction in Ontario, California. Three people were killed, and four others were hospitalized. California Highway Patrol (CHP) authorities confirmed that Singh, who was driving a Freightliner tractor-trailer, did not apply the brakes and was under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash. Emergency crews responded quickly to contain the fiery wreckage, which engulfed several vehicles and scattered debris across the interstate.
Singh, an undocumented immigrant from Yuba City, California, reportedly entered the United States illegally in early 2022. He was arrested on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, pending toxicology results confirming drug impairment. Following his arrest, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer against him, as he does not hold lawful immigration status. Singh remains in custody in San Bernardino County without bail, awaiting his next court appearance at Rancho Superior Court in Rancho Cucamonga.
Reports indicate that Singh had been released under the Biden administration’s 2022 “alternatives to detention” policy, which allowed certain migrants who entered the U.S. illegally to remain out of federal custody while their immigration cases were pending. Authorities are also investigating whether Singh possessed a valid commercial driver’s license (CDL), a mandatory requirement for operating heavy rigs in the U.S. The incident has raised broader concerns about safety standards among big rig drivers, particularly regarding compliance with English language proficiency and road sign requirements.
This crash is not an isolated case. In August, another Indian-origin undocumented immigrant, Harjinder Singh, caused a fatal crash in Fort Pierce, Florida, killing three people. Harjinder Singh had crossed the U.S. border illegally in 2018, obtained a California CDL without completing English proficiency and road sign tests, and was subsequently charged with causing the deadly collision. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlighted these incidents as part of a national safety issue, emphasizing that California is currently the only state that does not ensure big rig drivers meet English language requirements critical for safe operation and law enforcement communication.
The Jashanpreet Singh crash has reignited debate over immigration policies, commercial driver licensing, and highway safety regulations. Critics argue that lax enforcement of licensing standards and release policies for undocumented migrants can have deadly consequences on U.S. roadways. Authorities continue their investigation, including verification of Singh’s CDL status and drug involvement, while ICE maintains his detainer as the case moves through the judicial system.
