“This is a heinous tragedy that took three lives"
A Punjabi truck driver accused of killing three people in a freeway crash in California is no longer facing felony DUI charges after toxicology reports cleared him of driving under the influence.
Jashanpreet Singh pleaded not guilty on October 24 to charges including driving under the influence of drugs, causing bodily injury, and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
In a statement, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office said:
“Toxicology reports confirmed none of the substances tested were present in the defendant’s blood at the time the test was rendered.”
Following the findings, prosecutors amended the charges to three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one count of reckless driving on a highway causing a specified injury.
The crash took place on the Interstate 10 Freeway when Singh’s semi-truck slammed into the back of another vehicle, triggering a chain-reaction collision that killed three adults and seriously injured others.
Investigators from the California Highway Patrol found that Singh failed to stop before impact but have not confirmed whether fatigue, distraction, or another factor played a role.
Eyewitness and dashcam footage showed the vehicle travelling at high speed into stopped traffic.
San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson said:
“This is a heinous tragedy that took three lives and severely injured others.
“Frankly, it was easily avoidable if the defendant was not driving in a grossly negligent manner and impaired. Had the rule of law been followed by State and Federal officials, the defendant should have never been in California at all.”
Authorities said the case remains a grossly negligent homicide.
The District Attorney’s Office confirmed:
“However, the case remains a grossly negligent homicide.”
The Department of Homeland Security claims Singh is an undocumented immigrant who crossed the US-Mexico border in 2022 as an Indian national.
However, California transportation officials dispute this, stating that the federal government had approved his Employment Authorisation Documents, allowing him to receive a REAL ID verifying his legal status.
They said the documents extended his legal employment from April 24, 2025, to October 16, 2026, and again to August 18, 2030.
Singh remains jailed without bail. Prosecutors said they will continue to request no bail due to the seriousness of the offence and his potential flight risk.
It is not yet clear whether his scheduled court date for November 4 will be affected by the amended charges.
Loading ...