Jashanpreet Singh, a 21-year-old truck driver from Punjab who entered the United States illegally, was charged with vehicular manslaughter after a crash in California killed three people and injured four. Toxicology tests reportedly confirmed drug impairment, but his family denied the claims, saying he is an Amritdhari Gursikh who has never used drugs.
In an interview with The Indian Express, Jashanpreet’s father, Ravinder Singh, described the crash as an “unfortunate and tragic incident” and insisted that his son did not do anything on purpose.
“He is an Amritdhari Gursikh, someone who has lived by the principles of Sikhism his entire life,” Ravinder told The Indian Express.
Ravinder, who works as a school bus driver, described the toxicology claim attributed to his son as “unfounded”.
He further said, “He has never consumed drugs – he hasn’t even been near them. These accusations are completely unfounded,” before adding, “We mourn the lives lost, but our son should not be accused of using drugs. We raised him with great care, and now everything seems dark.”
His father said Jashanpreet recited Gurbani daily and had always been disciplined. “He went to the US three years ago seeking a better future,” he said.
Jashanpreet’s friend, Gurjot Malhar, told CBS News that he had come to the US “to make dollars”. “He wanted to move out of India. It’s gonna be hard to make dollars here. So, he wanted to keep going. His big step was trying to be a truck driver,” added Malhar.
The father appealed to the Central government for assistance and requested support from the Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on behalf of his son.
What has happened?
Singh drove his big rig into slow-moving traffic on the I-10 Freeway in San Bernardino County. Dashcam footage released by ABC7 shows Singh slamming into an SUV, without any attempt to apply the brakes. The vehicle then went on to collide with as many as eight vehicles.
“It didn’t stop. It didn’t swerve. It didn’t make any kind of manoeuvres. It just went straight in,” one eyewitness was quoted by NBC Los Angeles as saying. The eyewitness added, “The truck rolled and veered to the right into the embankment, and I saw the truck driver jump out because it was on fire.”
Jashanpreet, who hails from Purana Shalla village in Gurdaspur, Punjab, was taken into custody following the tragic incident.