Judge denies bond for illegal immigrant trucker in deadly Florida Turnpike wreck

A Florida judge on Saturday denied bond to Rajinder Singh, an illegal migrant trucker from India accused of causing a deadly crash in Fort Pierce that killed three people.

St. Lucie County Judge Lauren Sweet ruled that Singh is an unauthorized alien and a substantial flight risk.

Sweet also found probable cause for all six charges against Singh and classified them as forcible felonies under Florida law.

Harjinder Singh, a 28-year-old illegal alien from India who was arrested on Aug. 16, 2025, allegedly attempted to make an unauthorized U-turn in Ft. Pierce, Florida resulting in a crash that killed three people. (United States Marshals Service)

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“There are no conditions of release that will ensure your appearance at trial,” Sweet said. “Therefore, sir, I’m setting your bond on each charge at no bond.”

Singh, who appeared virtually from the St. Lucie County Jail, with the help of an interpreter, was arrested on two warrants charging him with three counts of vehicular homicide and three counts of manslaughter for the deadly Aug. 12 crash.

Investigators say Singh attempted an illegal U-turn in his semi-truck, causing his truck to jackknife, blocking the northbound lanes of the Florida Turnpike. A minivan then slammed into the trailer, killing all three people inside.

Judge Lauren Sweet is seen in court on Saturday morning in St. Lucie County, Florida, where she denied bond for Rajinder Singh, accused in a deadly Turnpike crash. (St. Lucie County Court)

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Sweet said that both arrest warrant affidavits were previously reviewed by a judge. Each judge found probable cause at that time for each of the six charges.

“This court finds there is probable cause to believe you committed a forcible felony for all six charges,” Sweet said.

Singh hesitated when asked if he wanted an attorney before Sweet provisionally appointed the public defender’s office to represent him.

Harjinder Singh is escorted onto an airplane by Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and law enforcement on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Stockton, Calif.  (Benjamin Fanjoy/AP Photo)

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Singh was arrested in Stockton, California, last week and extradited back to Florida.  

Harjinder Singh, who crossed into the United States illegally in 2018 via the southern border, obtained a commercial driver’s license in California. He attempted to obtain work authorization, but it was rejected by the first Trump administration on Sept. 14, 2020, according to Tricia McLaughlin, Homeland Security assistant secretary for public affairs.