Indian-origin truck driver who killed 3 in California crash was not 'high on drugs': Why is he facing homicide charges?

Indian-origin truck driver Jashanpreet Singh, accused of a fatal crash involving a semitruck and an SUV on the 10 Freeway in California's Ontario on Oct 22 was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, US authorities have confirmed. The big confirmation can change the course of the case against Singh, as he was accused of killing three people by not applying the brakes during the accident because he was under the influence of drugs. After his arrest, medical staff and officers confirmed to the media that he was under the influence of drugs. He has also been accused of entering the US illegally.

According to the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, no substances were found in the blood test report of Jashanpreet. Primary charges on Jashanpreet were of ‘driving under the influence’ (DUI) and vehicular manslaughter. The District Attorney said in the statement that three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and a new charge of reckless driving causing injury remain on Jashanpreet. District Attorney Jason Anderson was quoted by the Indian news agency PTI as saying that Jashanpreet should not have been in California at all. “This is a heinous tragedy...Frankly, it was easily avoidable if the defendant was not driving in a grossly negligent manner," Jason Anderson told PTI.

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Singh is in custody without bail. Earlier, he was brought to the courtroom without his turban, igniting a controversy. Indian politician Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) demanded that his turban be returned. An online petition alleged that the accused's bareheaded court appearance is a “violation of the Sikh faith.” It urged authorities to "restore his religious rights and ensure a fair trial."

After his arrest, Fox News reporter Bill Melugin claimed—citing ICE sources—that Singh is an “Indian illegal alien” who was caught and released at the California border in March 2022 under the Biden administration. He said that Singh was let into the country under the Biden administration’s ‘alternatives to detention’ policy, pending an immigration hearing.

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Previous to the accident in Ontario, another Indian truck driver identified as Harjinder Singh killed three people in Florida after he took an illegal U-turn. He too faces three counts of manslaughter and three counts of vehicular homicide.

US action against truck drivers

Several accidents related to foreign truck drivers has prompted the Trump administration to take immediate action and tighten the policies. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio last month announced that the Trump administration has paused all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers as they were "endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers." On Oct 9, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that the Trump administration has put out of service over 7000 truckers out of service as they failed the English proficiency test. Approximately 1.5 lakh Punjabi truck drivers work in the US trucking industry. Multiple Indian politicians and millions online have raised concerns over the manner in which these arrested individuals are being treated in the US. While their families have acknowledged that their negligence cannot be defended, they have also urged for a fair trial, stating that their crimes were not intentional.

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