LOS ANGELES – The 21-year-old semi-truck driver arrested in connection with a deadly eight-vehicle pile-up crash in Ontario pleaded not guilty to the multiple criminal counts against him.
What we know:
Jashanpreet Singh of Yuba City pleaded not guilty to three counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence causing injury.Â
After his hearing Friday morning, Singh remained in custody and was being held without bail.
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Jashanpreet Singh, 21, the truck driver accused of killing three people in a semi truck crash in Ontario this week, sits in a Rancho Cucamonga courtroom with his attorney deputy public defender Zoe Korpi, left, and an unidenfied representative, right
The backstory:
Singh is from India and entered the U.S. illegally in 2022 across the southern border, according to a Thursday post on X by Homeland Security.Â
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) reported the crash happened around 1 p.m. Tuesday when a tractor-trailer failed to stop for slowing westbound traffic, initiating an eight-vehicle chain-reaction collision.Â
Dashcam video shows the truck hitting a white SUV, plowing through several other vehicles, and then crashing into an already-disabled truck on the right shoulder, with flames erupting as it crossed lanes.
What they’re saying:
The incident immediately triggered sharp statements from federal officials, putting pressure on California’s state policies.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, a key figure in the push to restrict commercial licenses for non-citizens, stated, “These people deserve justice. There will be consequences.” Duffy also posted on X that the crash was “outrageous,” adding, “this is exactly why I set new restrictions that prohibit illegal immigrants from operating trucks.”Â
He demanded, “@cagovernor must join every other state in the U.S. in enforcing these new actions to prevent any more accidents and deaths.”
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Homeland Security used the tragedy to criticize current policy, stating in an X post: “This tragedy follows a disturbing pattern of criminal illegal aliens driving commercial vehicles on American roads, directly threatening public safety.”
Governor Gavin Newsom’s office issued a counter-statement, arguing that the federal government approved Singh’s federal employment authorization multiple times, which allowed him to obtain a commercial driver’s license in accordance with federal law.
Jashanpreet Singh, 21, the truck driver accused of killing three people in a semi truck crash in Ontario this week, enters a Rancho Cucamonga courtroom Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. (Photo by Will Lester/MediaNews Group/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin via Gett
Dig deeper:
The California crash is being used as ammunition in an ongoing political battle between the Trump administration and Newsom over immigrant access to commercial driver’s licenses.
Florida crash (August)
A deadly crash was caused by Harjinder Singh, a truck driver Homeland Security says was in the U.S. illegally after entering from Mexico in 2018. Harjinder Singh also obtained his CDL in California.
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California’s status
California is one of 19 states, plus the District of Columbia, that issue CDLs regardless of immigration status.
Federal rules
The Trump administration and transportation secretary Duffy have been pressing this issue. Last month, the transportation department significantly restricted when non-citizens can get CDLs, limiting qualification only to those with an H-2A, H-2HB, or E-2 visa (all of which are temporary work or investment visas). Licenses under these new rules are only valid for up to one year and require states to verify immigration status.
English proficiency
In April, Trump issued an executive order requiring that truckers proficiently read and speak English to be considered fit for service. Duffy later reiterated, “A driver who can’t understand English will not drive a commercial vehicle in this country. Period.”
The Source: The facts of the arrest and the charges filed against Jashanpreet Singh are confirmed by the San Bernardino District Attorney’s office. Information about his immigration status was provided by Homeland Security in a post on X. All political quotes and counter-statements are directly attributed to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Governor Gavin Newsom’s office, and Homeland Security’s social media posts.
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