MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — Two of the three people killed in an illegal U-turn crash on Florida’s Turnpike in St. Lucie County last month were honored in memorial services in southwest Miami-Dade on Saturday, marking a day of heavy emotions for family and friends.
Herby Dufresne, 30, and 37-year-old Faniola Joseph’s memorial service took place Saturday. Rodrigue Dor, 54, was the third victim in the crash, which occurred Aug. 12 near the Fort Pierce area.
Authorities said Dufresne, the driver of the minivan carrying all three victims, was from Haiti and was in Miami on a work trip when the crash happened. They said the minivan was struck by a semi-truck.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers said the semi-truck driver, Hardinger Singh, 28, was in the U.S. illegally and made the illegal U-turn that was marked “official use only,” causing the major wreck.
Since the crash, the Transportation Secretary has issued a plan to enforce English proficiency rules for commercial drivers by withholding funds from states that do not enforce the requirements.
However, bodycam footage from a traffic stop the month before the fatal crash showed Singh speaking English to a state trooper.
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