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Escorted off plane to face charges
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Florida Lt. Governor personally flew to California to bring Singh back amid political row over sanctuary laws
Indian-origin truck driver Harjinder Singh, accused of killing three people in a fatal crash earlier this month, has been escorted back to Florida to face charges. Singh was brought off a plane in handcuffs by Florida Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins, after being extradited from California where he was held at the San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp, reported freepressjournal.in.
Florida’s move sparks political row as US halts visas for truck drivers.
Lt. Governor Collins flew to California on Wednesday to collect Singh, accompanied by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. Singh was guided onto a plane at Stockton airport before being flown back to Florida. Reports suggest that Singh entered the US illegally in 2018.
However, the move has triggered a political spat, with California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office dismissing it as a “photo-op”
A spokesperson said: “Florida let a murder suspect walk. California arrested him. Now, Florida wants a photo-op picking him up,” CBS News reported. Newsom’s office also referred to California’s sanctuary law SB-54, which restricts local police from handing people over to immigration authorities unless they have a criminal record.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the deadly crash, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced an immediate pause on issuing work visas for truck drivers.
“The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on US roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” Rubio wrote on X.
The Florida Crash: What Happened
The fatal accident took place on August 12 when Singh, driving a semi-truck trailer, attempted an illegal U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike. His truck reportedly cut across all northbound lanes to use an “official use only” area, colliding with a minivan that was unable to avoid the massive vehicle.
Three people were killed in the crash — a 30-year-old man from Florida City, a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach, and a 54-year-old man from Miami.
Another passenger was also seated next to Singh at the time of the incident.
