Florida semi-truck driver earns millions of supportive signatures as he’s denied bond over illegal turn that killed 3
The Florida Turnpike is usually a straight shot of monotony broken only by rest stops and toll booths. But on August 12, a stretch near Fort Pierce turned catastrophic. Authorities said 28-year-old Harjinder Singh, a semi-truck driver from India, attempted an illegal U-turn across the busy highway.
A minivan slammed into his trailer, unable to avoid it. The impact killed the van’s driver and two passengers. Singh and a passenger in his truck walked away uninjured.
Since that day, Singh’s case has snowballed beyond a traffic tragedy
He was charged with three counts of vehicular homicide, along with immigration violations.
A Florida judge denied him bond, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a hold to keep him in custody, CNN shared. If convicted, he faces up to 45 years in prison and eventual deportation.
The fallout has spread from Florida courtrooms to the political arena. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis blamed California’s licensing system for enabling Singh to be on the road.
See, California is one of 19 states that allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, a policy supporters say makes roads safer.
DeSantis sent his lieutenant governor to personally escort Singh back from California after his arrest.
Homeland Security officials criticized California’s approach, calling it reckless.
California Governor Gavin Newsom pushed back, saying Singh received a work permit years earlier…when Donald Trump was in office.
Meanwhile, part of the public’s response has taken a surprising turn
A petition demanding leniency for Singh has gathered more than 2.7 million signatures.
Supporters describe the crash as a tragic accident and argue that while accountability matters, the punishment should match the circumstances.
The Change.org petition suggests alternatives like community service or counseling, NewsNation shared.
Still, DeSantis’ office dismissed those pleas, saying Florida holds offenders to account regardless of immigration status
For now, Singh sits in St. Lucie County Jail without bond, his future tangled in both criminal charges and national politics.
