A Florida judge on Saturday denied bond to Harjinder Singh, an illegal migrant trucker from India accused of causing a deadly crash in Fort Pierce that killed three people. St. Lucie County Judge Lauren Sweet ruled that Singh is an unauthorized alien and a substantial flight risk. Sweet also found probable cause for all six charges against Singh and classified them as forcible felonies under Florida law.
The judge, Sweet, emphasized the severity of Singh’s alleged actions, stating, ‘There are no conditions of release that will ensure your appearance at trial,’ leading to the decision not to set any bond. Singh, who appeared virtually from the St. Lucie County Jail with the help of an interpreter, was arrested on two warrants charging him with three counts of vehicular homicide and three counts of manslaughter for the deadly Aug. 3 crash.
Investigators have detailed that Singh attempted an illegal U-turn in his semi-truck, causing his vehicle to jackknife and block the northbound lanes of the Florida Turnpike. A minivan then collided with the trailer, resulting in the deaths of all three individuals inside the vehicle. The incident occurred on August 12, highlighting the tragic consequences of Singh’s alleged actions on the highway.
The court’s ruling underscores the legal implications of Singh’s immigration status and the charge of being a flight risk. Judge Sweet stated that both arrest warrant affidavits had been previously reviewed by a judge, who found probable cause for all six charges. ‘This court finds there is probable cause to believe you committed a forcible felony for all six charges,’ Sweet said.
Singh hesitated when asked if he wanted an attorney before the court provisionally appointed the public defender’s office to represent him. Singh, who crossed into the United States illegally in 2018 via the southern border, obtained a commercial driver’s license in California but faced rejection in his application for work authorization. This was denied by the Trump administration on Sept. 14, 2020, according to Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security assistant secretary for public affairs.
Singh was arrested in Stockton, California, last week and extradited back to Florida for trial. The case has drawn attention beyond legal proceedings, as it intersects with broader debate on immigration policies, trucking licenses, and workplace authorization in the U.S.