ONTARIO, California — The truck driver responsible for the deadly 10 Freeway crash that killed three people has been identified as 21-year-old Jashanpreet Singh, an Indian national who entered the U.S. illegally and was released by the Biden administration in March 2022 after being caught at the California border.

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Singh crossed into the U.S. from Mexico in 2022 and was residing in Yuba City, California. He was arrested Tuesday by California Highway Patrol officers in connection with an eight-vehicle collision that involved four commercial vehicles, leaving three adults dead and four others hospitalized in varying conditions.

According to ABC7 and CBS News, Singh was under the influence of drugs and speeding when his red Freightliner semi-truck slammed into the back of an SUV before plowing into multiple vehicles, igniting a fiery pileup that shut down the westbound freeway for several hours.

San Bernardino County jail records show that Singh remains detained without bail at the West Valley Detention Center on charges of driving under the influence causing bodily injury and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. He is expected to appear in court Thursday in Rancho Cucamonga. ICE has placed a detainer on him with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

According to ABC7, Singh never applied his brakes before impact, as captured in dashcam footage from his truck.

One of the victims was identified as a 54-year-old man from Upland, while two others who were severely burned have not been publicly named. The westbound lanes of the freeway were shut down for several hours before reopening late Tuesday night.

Dashcam video from the truck captured the devastating moment of impact, and investigators say Singh never applied his brakes. “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,” said CHP Officer Rodrigo Jimenez.

^{Photo credit: CBS LA}

CBS Sacramento reported that one of Singh’s friends described him as “an amazing guy” who came to the U.S. “in search of a better life.” Federal sources noted that Singh’s case comes amid growing scrutiny over how states issue commercial driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants. A recent lawsuit filed by Florida against California and Washington alleges that both states failed to comply with federal safety and immigration requirements when licensing commercial truck drivers.

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