PITTSBURGH, Pa. / MONONGALIA COUNTY, W.Va. — A truck driver charged in a fatal crash that sent a car off Cheat Lake Bridge has been extradited from California to West Virginia, months after the January incident.

Sukhjinder Singh was arrested in March on charges stemming from the January 19 crash that killed Kevin Lataille of Fayette County. Authorities allege Singh was driving recklessly during severe snowstorm conditions when his jack-knifed tractor-trailer struck multiple vehicles and forced Lataille’s car off the bridge, plunging 200 feet into Cheat Lake.

Despite initially waiving extradition, Singh later agreed to be returned to face charges in West Virginia. Surveillance video and witness accounts contradict Singh’s claim that he lost control due to weather but did not strike any vehicles.

Authorities recovered Lataille’s vehicle and body hours after he was reported missing. Witnesses described Singh's behavior as “reckless and even criminal.”

Victim's Family Demands Stronger Penalties

The current charge of negligent homicide is a misdemeanor under West Virginia law, with a maximum sentence of one year and a fine. Lataille’s family is now urging lawmakers to reexamine the legal framework for cases involving fatal truck crashes.

“It’s the callous nature of knowing or even suspecting that the car you ran into went off the bridge and into an icy lake — and saying nothing,” said the family's attorney, Dino Colombo. “This could end up being nothing more than a slap on the wrist.”

The case has reignited debate around accountability and sentencing in fatal commercial vehicle crashes in the state.