A car crash caused by Harjinder Singh, an immigrant from India, who made an illegal U-turn across a Florida highway earlier in the month of August, claimed the lives of three Haitian immigrants, officials confirmed.
The victims were identified as Herby Dufresne, 30, Faniola Joseph, 27, and Rodrigue Dor, 53. All three were traveling in a minivan that struck the side of an 18-wheeler driven by Singh on August 12, according to the Miami Herald.
Dufresne had arrived in Miami from Port-au-Prince in December 2023 and was granted a two-year permit to live and work in the United States after securing a financial sponsor through a program launched under the Biden administration, the outlet reported, citing a friend.
No further details were provided about Joseph and Dor’s immigration status or their arrival in the US, other than that they had previously lived in Florida, the Miami Herald reported.
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment.
At the time of the crash, the three victims were reportedly on their way to Indiana, where Dor had moved after being unable to find work in Miami, a friend told the publication.
Dashcam footage from Singh’s truck showed him making a wide U-turn on the Florida Turnpike before the minivan collided with the side of the trailer and became partially lodged beneath it. Singh, 28, showed little visible reaction to the impact, according to the video.
ALL ABOUT THE ACCUSED HARJINDER SINGH
Singh, who entered the US illegally in 2018, failed English proficiency tests administered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration following the April 12 crash.
Florida transportation authorities described Singh as driving “recklessly and without regard for the safety of others on the road.”
During the test, Singh was only able to correctly read one of four road signs, according to the Department of Transportation.
Although Singh was nearly deported in 2018, he received a work permit in 2021 under the Biden administration.
Singh later obtained commercial driver’s licenses in two states — Washington in 2023 and California in 2024 — according to the DOT. California requires CDL exams to be taken in English only, while Washington offers the tests in English, Spanish, Russian, or Serbian-Croatian.
Singh is currently imprisoned in Florida.
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