Indian-origin truck driver who killed 3 in California crash was not under influence, say US officials

Indian-origin truck driver Jashanpreet Singh, accused of killing three people in a multi-vehicle crash in Ontario, California, last month, was sober at the time of the accident.

US authorities have confirmed. This contradicts initial reports that claimed he was driving under the influence. According to a complaint filed by the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office and cited by PTI, toxicology tests showed no traces of alcohol or drugs in Singh’s blood. However, officials stated that the case “remains a grossly negligent homicide.”

Singh, 21, was arrested on October 21 and initially charged with vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and DUI causing injury. The updated complaint now includes three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one count of reckless driving on a highway causing specified injury.

Eyewitnesses and dashcam footage reportedly showed Singh driving at high speed through stopped traffic before the fatal collision.

Fox News earlier reported that Singh had entered the US illegally through the southern border in 2022 and was released pending an immigration hearing.

The California crash marks the second fatal road incident involving an Indian-origin truck driver in the US since August. In a separate case, 28-year-old Harjinder Singh was charged with vehicular homicide after allegedly making an illegal U-turn in Florida, resulting in three deaths.