The driver of a tractor-trailer was arrested after a crash on the Florida Turnpike that killed three people from South Florida in Fort Pierce, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).
Harjinger Singh faces three counts of vehicular homicide for the crash, which occurred when he allegedly attempted an illegal U-turn near mile marker 170 on August 12, citing the Florida Highway Patrol.
The truck was attempting the maneuver in an area marked “official use only” when it crossed in front of a Chrysler Town & Country minivan.
The minivan driver could not avoid the truck and crashed. A photo from the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office shows the vehicle wedged underneath the truck.
The minivan driver, a 30-year-old man from Florida City, was airlifted to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Two passengers, a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach and a 54-year-old man from Miami, died at the scene.
Singh, the truck driver, was not injured.
“The actions taken by the defendant while operating a commercial tractor-trailer are shocking and criminal,” said FLHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner in a statement Saturday. “Three people lost their lives as a result of his recklessness, and countless friends and family members will experience the pain of their loss forever.”
Officials said that after obtaining an arrest warrant for Singh, an investigation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealed he had been living illegally in the U.S. since 2018 after crossing the border from Mexico.
FLHSMV said Singh was able to obtain a commercial driver’s license in California. According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, a driver must provide proof of legal presence in the U.S. to apply for a commercial driver’s license. It was not immediately clear how Singh obtained his license.
“Harjinger Singh is in custody on state charges of vehicular homicide and immigration violations,” Kerner’s statement continued. “He will no longer be able to harm and destroy the lives of Floridians and visitors. Upon conclusion of his state charges, he will be deported.”
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