Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced Wednesday that state authorities will take custody of Harjinder Singh, the illegal immigrant responsible for a deadly truck crash in St. Lucie County last week that claimed three lives.
Singh failed federally required English proficiency tests, answering only two of twelve verbal questions correctly and identifying just one of four highway traffic signs, yet was still able to obtain commercial driver’s licenses.
Highlighting the severity of the crash and the risks posed by unqualified drivers, DeSantis declared, “Extradite him back to the state of Florida, and we’re gonna throw the book at him when he gets back here for what he did.”
Singh, who entered the United States illegally in 2018, acquired licenses in both Washington State and California.
Washington granted him a full-term commercial driver’s license in July 2023, while California issued a limited-term, non-domiciled CDL.
These licenses allowed Singh to operate a 40-ton commercial vehicle despite failing basic English proficiency tests, raising concerns over gaps in federal and state enforcement under the Biden administration.
The U.S. Department of Transportation confirmed a federal investigation led by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which determined Singh was unqualified to operate commercial vehicles due