ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — A devastating crash on Florida’s Turnpike in St. Lucie County has claimed the lives of three people and set off a wider policy debate over immigration enforcement and commercial driver licensing.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the crash occurred on Tuesday, August 12, when a semi-truck attempted an illegal U-turn through a restricted “official use only” median cutout near Fort Pierce. The truck was being driven by Harjinder Singh, who investigators later learned had entered the United States unlawfully in 2018.
Troopers say a Chrysler minivan traveling northbound had no chance to avoid the trailer as Singh attempted the U-turn. The minivan collided with the truck, killing all three of its occupants. Their identities have not yet been released pending notification of family members.
Following the incident, Singh was arrested and charged with three counts of vehicular homicide. He is currently in custody and is also being held on an immigration detainer. Officials said that once state proceedings conclude, Singh will face federal removal proceedings.
Licensing concerns under scrutiny
The case has drawn national attention because Singh reportedly obtained a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in California, despite his undocumented status. While California allows undocumented residents to obtain a noncommercial driver’s license under Assembly Bill 60 (AB 60), federal law requires proof of lawful presence for all commercial licenses.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has mandated since 2011 that CDLs must meet the same standards as federal REAL ID guidelines, meaning only citizens and lawfully present immigrants are eligible. How Singh obtained a CDL remains unclear, and the situation has raised fresh concerns about gaps in vetting and verification processes between state and federal systems.
Renewed calls for safety reforms
Road-safety advocates also note that “official use only” median cutouts, like the one used in this crash, have been tied to other severe accidents. They argue such openings should be redesigned or reinforced to prevent illegal U-turns that often prove deadly.
What’s next
Singh is expected to remain behind bars as the criminal case moves forward. If convicted, he faces significant prison time before deportation proceedings.
Meanwhile, families of the victims await answers as investigators continue piecing together the full circumstances behind this tragedy—a crash that has not only ended three lives but also reignited debate over how America regulates who gets to drive its heaviest trucks.