ONTARIO, California — The semi-truck driver accused of causing a deadly chain-reaction crash on the 10 Freeway in Ontario that killed three people, including a Pomona High School basketball coach and his wife, pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance Friday morning.

Jashanpreet Singh, 21, was charged by the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, DUI causing death, and driving under the combined influence of alcohol and drugs. Singh, who remains in custody without bail, was appointed a public defender.

According to ABC7, prosecutors said dashcam video and eyewitness accounts show Singh driving at a high rate of speed into stopped traffic on the westbound lanes of the 10 Freeway, triggering a fiery multi-vehicle pileup.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Singh is an Indian national who entered the United States illegally in 2022 and has since placed an immigration detainer on him.

Despite earlier reports questioning his licensing status, records from the Department of Motor Vehicles show that Singh did hold a valid commercial driver’s license. Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said investigators will examine whether fraud played a role in how the license was obtained. “We’re going to do an investigation to understand if he committed fraud to get it or if someone at the DMV helped him get it,” Essayli said.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office pushed back against claims that the state improperly issued Singh his CDL, stating that California “does not determine commercial driver’s license eligibility.” The governor’s office said Singh’s federal work authorization, approved and renewed by the U.S. government through 2030, allowed him to obtain a REAL ID-compliant commercial license.

The case remains under investigation by state and federal authorities.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.