Driver in triple fatal U-turn crash remains jailed

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(The Center Square) – Harjinder Singh remains in St. Lucie County Jail and facing three charges each of vehicular homicide and manslaughter.

On Aug. 12, he tried with an 18-wheeler to make a U-turn on the Florida Turnpike through a point in the divided highway marked “official use only,” leading to the deaths of three people in a minivan. Singh had correct responses to two of 12 verbal questions on an English language proficiency assessment and correctly identified only one of four highway traffic signs during an interview with the Federal Motor Carrier Administration.

Just after 1 p.m. Tuesday, a worldwide petition on his behalf entitled “plea for fair sentencing” eclipsed 3 million digital signatures.

Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, in a network broadcast interview, said there is no likelihood of leniency.

“It’s beyond infuriating,” Collins said. “He illegally entered in 2018. He put people’s lives at risk, doesn’t understand the language, doesn’t understand the signs, and we think because of his ethnicity he’s not supposed to have accountability? That’s not how this works. It’s ridiculous.

“Of course he fled back to California. We know Gavin Newsom doesn’t care about this, doesn’t take it seriously. It’s an illegal immigration ideocracy in California, and it’s failing America, it puts people’s lives at risk, and there will be nothing like that here in Florida. He’s going to pay the price, do his time, and go back where he came from.”

Singh is from India and sought asylum in America.

Singh, seen on video from inside his truck making a U-turn in a 70 mph zone of the Florida Turnpike, had correct responses to two of 12 verbal questions on an English language proficiency assessment and correctly identified only one of four highway traffic signs during an interview with the Motor Carrier Administration.

An arrest report identifies those killed as Herby Dufresne, Faniola Joseph and Rodrique Dor.