St. Lucie County: Harjinder Singh, a truck driver accused of causing a fatal crash on Florida’s Turnpike last month, made his first court appearance in St. Lucie County on Saturday, August 23.
Singh, originally charged with three counts of vehicular homicide, now faces three additional counts of manslaughter.
Judge Rules No bond, Cites 'Flight Risk'
Appearing before Judge Lauren Sweet of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, Singh required the assistance of translator Nazia Shamshad during proceedings. Judge Sweet ordered that no bond be set, describing Singh as a "flight risk".
He will remain in the custody of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office while the case continues. An immigration hold has also been placed on him, preventing release even if bail were later considered.
Immigration Status Under Scrutiny
According to the US Department of Homeland Security, Singh, a native of India, entered the United States illegally through Mexico in 2018. He later obtained a commercial driver’s licence in California, one of 19 US states that allow such licences to be issued regardless of immigration status.
Florida Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins has previously criticised the decision to issue Singh a licence, calling it “unacceptable”. Meanwhile, US Senator Marco Rubio announced last week that the federal government has paused the issuance of visas for commercial truck drivers.
On August 12, Singh attempted an illegal U-turn while driving a tractor-trailer about 50 miles north of West Palm Beach. A minivan travelling in the neighbouring lane collided with the trailer, killing the driver and two passengers inside.
Federal authorities have requested that Singh be handed over to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement once the criminal proceedings are complete.
