ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — Outside the jail in St. Lucie County, an attorney and activist says he met with Harjinder Singh earlier on Tuesday.
Singh, 28, is the undocumented truck driver accused of making an illegal U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike in Fort Pierce, causing a crash that killed three people from Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
They were identified as Herby Dufresne, Faniola Joseph and Rodrigue Dor.
“We want to begin by grieving with the families who lost their loved ones in this tragic accident,” activist Gurpatwant Pannun said, saying Singh is “also grieving and carrying a heavy mental anguish of what has happened.”
“I saw sorrow and suffering in his eyes,” Pannun said.
Pannun said Singh went to help the victims.
“As soon as the incident happened, he came out of his seat, went to that van, broke open the window and held his hand and told him, ‘Buddy, the help is on the way. Please stay with me,’” Pannun said.
Singh, a native of India, is now part of the wider immigration debate.
Officials say he crossed into the country illegally in 2018, but was able to obtain commercial driver’s licenses from both Washington and California.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis contends Singh could not speak English, a detriment to the investigation.
In the wake of the wreck, state leaders announced that some checkpoints would be in place in northern Florida for inspections and to check drivers for their English proficiency.
“Harjinder’s case is one of tragic misjudgment and not of an intentional or malicious act,” Pannun said. “Harjinder did not set out to harm anyone in any way.”
But DeSantis said Singh “intended to get behind the wheel, knowing that he didn’t have the full capacity to be able to handle that vehicle.”
“He attempted a very reckless U-turn with a massive truck,” DeSantis said.
Pannun was not asked whether Singh could speak English, but he was asked why he made the U-turn. He said he didn’t know.
Singh has been denied bond.
Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
