ONTARIO, California — Authorities have identified the driver accused of causing a deadly eight-vehicle crash involving four semitrucks in Ontario on Tuesday as 21-year-old Jashanpreet Singh of Yuba City.

The collision occurred around 1:10 p.m. on the westbound 10 Freeway near the 15 Freeway interchange, killing three people and injuring four others. Singh, who was driving a red Freightliner semi, was booked into the West Valley Detention Center on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs and vehicular manslaughter, according to the California Highway Patrol.

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According to ABC7, witnesses said Singh’s truck was speeding and failed to slow down as traffic came to a stop, triggering a chain-reaction crash involving four semis, two pickup trucks, and two passenger vehicles. “It didn’t stop. It didn’t swerve. It didn’t make any kind of maneuvers. It just went straight in,” said witness Jason Calmelat, who described the crash sounding like a “big explosion.”

CHP Officer Rodrigo Jimenez said Singh’s truck rolled into an embankment and caught fire before Singh jumped out. “This could have been prevented if somebody had been paying attention sober,” Jimenez stated, confirming that Singh was under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash.

One of the victims has been identified as a 54-year-old man from Upland. The other two were severely burned and have not yet been identified. “For us officers, it’s really horrific to see, not just the deceased person, but knowing that this person’s family is going to receive the worst possible news of their life,” Jimenez said.

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The westbound lanes of the 10 Freeway were closed for several hours Tuesday but have since reopened. CHP officials said investigators will inspect the semitruck for potential mechanical issues as part of the ongoing investigation.

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