Rajinder Kumar faces two counts of first-degree manslaughter and three counts of reckless endangerment; immigration proceedings will resume after the criminal case
US immigration authorities have transferred Indian national Rajinder Kumar, 32, to state custody in Oregon to face criminal charges over a tractor-trailer crash that killed a newlywed American couple in November 2025.
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed on October 18 that Kumar had been returned to the Deschutes County Jail to face prosecution. He has been indicted on two counts of first-degree manslaughter and three counts of recklessly endangering another person. The charges remain pending, and Kumar is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The crash occurred on a highway near Brothers, east of Bend, Oregon. Investigators have alleged that the tractor-trailer jackknifed across the road, blocking the carriageway. The victims were identified as William Carter and Jennifer Lower, who had recently married.
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According to ICE, the agency had placed an immigration detainer on Kumar after his earlier arrest
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However, Deschutes County released him in April 2026 without complying with the detainer, the federal agency said. ICE officers subsequently located and arrested him on April 22
His return to Oregon follows legal efforts to ensure that he is available to face the state charges. Reports said a judge had issued a warrant for his arrest after he was taken into federal immigration custody, raising concerns that he could be removed from the country before the criminal proceedings.
ICE said Kumar’s immigration case would remain on hold until the state criminal proceedings conclude. Federal authorities intend to pursue his removal case afterwards, in accordance with US law.
The agency said US Border Patrol had apprehended Kumar near Lukeville, Arizona, on November 28, 2022, after he entered the country from Mexico. He was subsequently placed in immigration removal proceedings.
The case highlights the intersection of US immigration enforcement and state-level criminal prosecution. For now, the immediate priority is the pending criminal case in Oregon, while Kumar’s immigration status will be addressed separately after the court proceedings.
