A shocking video is making the rounds online. It shows a massive truck smashing into a line of stopped cars on a California freeway. Three people died in the crash, and two more were taken to the hospital. But there’s more to this story than just a tragic accident. The man behind the wheel is a suspected illegal immigrant who, according to federal officials, should never have been allowed to drive a truck in the first place.
The driver, 21-year-old Jashanpreet Singh, is from India. He got a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in California back in June. That means he was legally allowed to drive a big rig on U.S. roads. But federal officials now say that his license should have been revoked. Why? Because California was warned months ago that it was handing out CDLs to people who didn’t meet federal rules—especially non-citizens.
In fact, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) sent a warning to California in September. The message was clear: stop giving CDLs to people who don’t qualify and fix the mess. The federal government even told the state to pause all new licenses for non-citizens and review the ones already given out. But California didn’t stop. Not only did Singh keep his license, but on October 15—after he turned 21—he even had a restriction removed from it. That decision may have cost three people their lives.
Just six days later, Singh was behind the wheel of a semi-truck. Dashcam footage from that day shows the truck speeding toward a line of cars stuck in traffic. It crashes into them with full force. Flames shoot from under the hood. Then, the truck veers to the right, hitting more vehicles and what looks like utility trucks before finally stopping.
Investigators say Singh was under the influence of drugs at the time. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has since filed a detainer request, meaning they want to take custody of him if he’s released from jail. ICE called him “a criminal illegal alien.”
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy didn’t hold back. “It would have never happened if Gavin Newsom had followed our new rules,” he said. “California broke the law and now three people are dead.” Duffy promised there would be consequences.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office fired back, blaming the federal government. A spokesperson said, “This is a tragic situation… but the federal government needs to look within before they cast blame outside.”
But this isn’t just about pointing fingers. It’s about a system that failed. Federal officials gave clear instructions. California ignored them. A man who should not have been on the road was allowed to drive a deadly 18-wheeler. Now three families are grieving, and the public is left asking: how did this happen?
Homeland Security’s Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called the crash “a terrible tragedy” and blamed “reckless open border policies” that allowed Singh to enter and stay in the country.
This isn’t the first such incident. A similar crash involving an unqualified truck driver happened in Florida, also with deadly results. These cases raise serious concerns about who’s being allowed to operate heavy trucks on U.S. highways.
At the heart of this tragedy is a breakdown between state and federal rules. When states ignore federal safety warnings, the result isn’t just red tape—it’s real lives lost.
As the investigation continues, one thing is clear: this crash wasn’t just an accident. It was a preventable disaster caused by a system that didn’t do its job. And now, it’s up to lawmakers and law enforcement to make sure it doesn’t happen again.