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A commercial truck driver accused of killing three people in a fatal accident Florida The 2023 man had failed the commercial driver’s license test 10 times over a two-month period in Washington state in August before he was finally issued a license, according to a senior official with the Florida Attorney General’s office.
Florida is using the case of Harjinder Singh, who is accused of being in the country illegally, to urge the nation’s highest court to permanently bar some states from issuing commercial driver’s licenses, or CDLs, to people who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
In a separate case, another semitruck driver accused of being in the country illegally was accused of killing three people in a crash on a southern road. California The freeway this week is renewing criticisms from federal officials of immigrant drivers and concerns about being able to get a CDL.
Here’s what to know.
Driver in Florida crash repeatedly failed driving test
The investigation into Harjinder Singh in Florida revealed that the truck driver failed the written test to obtain a CDL in Washington state 10 times between March 10, 2023, and April 5, 2023, a senior official with Florida Attorney General James Uthmeyer who was briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press. The official is not authorized to comment publicly about an ongoing investigation and provided the information on condition of anonymity.
Singh, who is from IndiaLived in California and was originally issued a CDL in Washington, before California also issued him a CDL. According to court filings, he had a valid California CDL at the time of the crash.
A spokeswoman for Washington’s licensing department said no one was immediately able to respond to questions Friday. In California, all commercial truck drivers must pass a written test, but they may be allowed to skip the driving test if they have an out-of-state license with an equivalent classification, according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles website. State officials did not immediately respond to requests for more information.
He is accused of attempting to make an illegal U-turn from the northbound lanes of the Florida Turnpike near Fort Pierce on Aug. 12. A minivan behind Singh’s big rig failed to stop and collided with the truck, killing its driver and two passengers. Singh and a passenger in the truck were not injured.
Singh is currently being held without bail in the St. Lucie County Jail, not far from the crash site. His next court date is scheduled for Nov. 13.
Florida goes to the Supreme Court
Florida is now petitioning the US Supreme Court To take up his case against the states of California and Washington, and urged the high court to stop the states from issuing CDLs to people living in the country illegally.
Florida’s lawsuit, filed this month, argues that Western states have demonstrated “blatant disregard for federal immigration laws” and a failure to enforce public safety, which Florida is urging the court to declare a “public nuisance.” This is a type of legal claim that is commonly used to address local concerns such as blighted homes, the illegal drug-trade or dangerous animals, but it has also been directed at pharmacies for their role in the opioid crisis.
If the court accepts the case, Florida officials hope it could set a new legal precedent for states’ abilities to issue CDLs to people who are not citizens or legal permanent residents. The senior Florida official said the decision could also have a negative impact on how and whether immigrants are issued traditional driver’s licenses.
A fatal accident in California
In a separate case, Jashanpreet Singh was arrested and jailed on Tuesday after an eight-vehicle crash in Ontario, California, that killed three people and injured four others.
Singh, who is also from India, is accused of being under the influence of drugs and causing the fatal accident. Westbound traffic on Interstate 10 near San Bernardino was slowed Tuesday afternoon when a tractor-trailer failed to stop, striking other vehicles and causing a chain-reaction crash, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Singh, of Yuba City, entered the US illegally across the southern border in 2022, the US Department of Homeland Security said in a post on Thursday.
Crackdown on Trump administration
The U.S. Department of Transportation took steps in September to tighten CDL requirements for noncitizens after several fatal crashes this year that officials say were caused by immigrant truck drivers.
This week’s fatal crash in California and Jashanpreet Singh’s claim that he entered the country illegally has reignited Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s concerns about who should be able to get a CDL.
Duffy and the President donald trump He has been pressing the issue and criticizing California since the deadly crash in Florida in August.
Speaking to Fox News on Friday, Duffy said there were “numerous failures” that allowed Harjinder Singh to get his commercial driver’s license.
“The truth is that I think we have a lot of abuse in the area of issuing commercial driver’s licenses,” Duffy said. He said Singh did not speak English and said he could not read road signs.
“So the question becomes … how do you pass the test for a commercial driver’s license? You can’t do that except by cheating,” Duffy said.
New rules announced last month have made it extremely difficult for immigrants to obtain a commercial driver’s license as only three specific categories of visa holders will be eligible. States must also verify the applicant’s immigration status in federal databases. These licenses will be valid for one year unless the applicant’s visa expires before that.
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Frisaro reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.