A deadly freeway crash in Ontario, California, has prompted fresh outrage over state policies and federal border lapses after reports say the truck driver was an illegal immigrant previously encountered at the California border. ICE sources and local authorities say the collision killed three people, led to a criminal custody hold, and triggered an ICE detainer request. The episode is being used to criticize Governor Gavin Newsom’s approach to immigration and to push for stricter commercial driver rules at the federal level. Video and government sources cited in coverage underline the human toll and the policy questions now front and center.
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_)
BREAKING: Per multiple ICE sources, Jashanpreet Singh, the semi-truck driver suspected of killing three people in a DUI crash on the 10 freeway in Ontario, CA yesterday, is an Indian illegal alien who was caught & released at the CA border by the Biden admin in March 2022. DHS photo of him attached via federal sources.
I’m told ICE is placing a detainer request on Singh with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, where he is in custody on suspicion of DUI causing great bodily injury and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. He has not been formally charged yet.
Police say Singh was speeding and under the influence, never hitting his breaks, when he crashed into slow moving traffic on the freeway, causing a devastating and deadly chain reaction crash that killed 3 people. The victims have not been identified yet.
Dash-cam footage has circulated showing the moment traffic slowed and the commercial truck failed to stop, leading to a chain reaction. The video is graphic and disturbing, and officials say it will be part of the evidence as investigators and prosecutors piece together the chain of events. Witnesses and responding officers reported severe damage and multiple fatalities at the scene.
Warning: this video may be disturbing to some viewers.
Federal sources say Singh had been encountered at the California border in March 2022 and was released by federal authorities at that time. That prior contact is central to why ICE lodged a detainer in this case, according to reporting that cites multiple ICE channels. The prior encounter raises questions about enforcement gaps and coordination between federal and state systems.
ICE officials described their detainer request as part of “a disturbing pattern of criminal illegal aliens driving commercial vehicles on American roads, directly threatening public safety.” That quote reflects broader concerns among federal agents about vehicle safety and the vetting of commercial drivers. Lawmakers on the right have seized on cases like this to argue for tougher eligibility rules for CDL holders without U.S. domiciles.
Local reporting and federal confirmations say authorities have identified two of the victims as Clarence Nelson and his wife, Lisa. Coverage also notes there was a third victim who had not been publicly identified at the time of initial reports. Families of the dead are facing the unbearable reality of losing loved ones in a preventable crash.
Investigators say the truck was traveling at speed and that the driver showed signs of impairment, though formal charges were still pending in early reporting. Prosecutors will examine toxicology, electronic logs, and maintenance and hiring records for the carrier and driver. If DUI or gross vehicular manslaughter counts are filed, they could carry significant penalties and trigger immigration enforcement actions.
Politically, this incident landed as fuel for criticisms of California leadership and federal border policy alike. Conservatives argue the crash illustrates the consequences of lax enforcement and sanctuary-style approaches that allow individuals with prior border encounters to remain at large. Supporters of stricter rules point to recent federal moves targeting CDL eligibility as proof that policy change is needed to protect American motorists.
Transportation officials at the federal level have been pushed to act, with proposals to tighten who can obtain commercial licenses and how out-of-country credentials are treated. Republican lawmakers and some governors have been vocal about using emergency rulemaking and legislation to close loopholes they say put the public at risk. The debate now centers on balancing supply-chain needs with public safety for Americans on the road.
Families and communities are left to grieve while officials sort accountability and enforcement. This crash is the latest example cited by critics who say current policies invite tragedy rather than prevent it. As investigations continue, questions about coordination between border encounters, local arrests, and detainer practices will remain central to the public conversation.
