Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the recent Florida crash “a preventable tragedy” caused by the “reckless decisions and compounded failures” of Washington State and New Mexico.
The deadly incident occurred on Aug. 12 when Indian immigrant Harjinder Singh, attempted an illegal U-turn in a restricted area near Fort Pierce, Florida, causing a minivan to collide with his trailer. Three people were killed: a 30-year-old man from Florida City, a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach, and a 54-year-old man from Miami.
According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), Singh failed an English proficiency exam administered after the crash, answering only two of 12 verbal questions correctly and misidentifying most road signs. Federal rules require commercial drivers to demonstrate English ability.
“Preliminary results of the investigation have found [that] when interviewed the driver did not speak English, and both Washington State and New Mexico violated FMCSA rules,” the DOT reported.
Records show that Washington issued Singh a full commercial driver’s license in July 2023, despite federal rules barring such licenses for undocumented immigrants. A year later, California issued him a non-domiciled license, now under federal review.
In July 2025, New Mexico police cited Singh for speeding but did not enforce the English proficiency requirement, which had taken effect weeks earlier.
“If states had followed the rules, this driver would never have been behind the wheel and three precious lives would still be with us,” Duffy said. “We will use every tool at our disposal to hold these states and bad actors accountable. President Trump and I will restore safety to our roads. The families of the deceased deserve justice.”
Singh, who illegally entered the U.S. in 2018, is facing three vehicular homicide charges in Florida. He was placed under an immigration detainer by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement pending deportation proceedings.
FMCSA’s investigation into Singh’s employer, White Hawk Carriers, Inc., is ongoing.
