Three people lost their lives on Florida’s Turnpike, United States, after a semi-truck attempted an unlawful U-turn, triggering a deadly collision and unleashing a wave of racist online abuse against the Indian-origin driver. According to a report by TCPalm News, the accident occurred near the 170-mile marker in St. Lucie County when the semi-truck and its trailer jackknifed, toppling onto a black 2015 Chrysler Town & Country minivan.
The truck had tried to turn at an “Official Use Only” section while travelling in the outer northbound lane.
The Florida Highway Patrol stated that the minivan, which was in the inside lane, could not avoid impact as the truck cut across all northbound lanes. The vehicle became trapped beneath the trailer, resulting in the deaths of all three occupants.
St. Lucie Fire Rescue rushed to the spot and worked to free those caught in the mangled wreckage. However, authorities confirmed the three passengers in the minivan were declared dead at the scene. The deceased were identified as a 30-year-old man from Florida City, a 37-year-old woman from Pompano Beach, and a 54-year-old man from Miami.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the semi-truck was driven by a Sikh man. He is reported to be Harjinder Singh, who allegedly entered the US illegally and has been charged with three counts of vehicular homicide.
According to CBS 12, investigators reported that Singh entered the US illegally since crossing the Mexican border in 2018.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement put out a detainer against him. Upon conviction, he will have to face prison time in Florida before deportation.
“Three people lost their lives as a result of his recklessness, and countless friends and family members will experience the pain of their loss forever,” Dave Kerner told CBS 12, executive director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
White House-Linked Account Slams Sikh Driver As ‘Illegal Immigrant’ With License
Following the crash, a video of the incident went viral. The White House’s official response account, Rapid Response 47, blamed the “illegal immigrant” for causing three deaths. “This individual is an illegal immigrant who was granted a commercial driver’s license by the State of California — and now, three innocent people are dead. He has been arrested for vehicular homicide and an ICE detainer has been issued,” it posted.
This individual is an illegal immigrant who was granted a commercial driver’s license by the State of California — and now, three innocent people are dead.
He has been arrested for vehicular homicide and an ICE detainer has been issued. https://t.co/6NkliBDdSl
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 17, 2025
The remark comes as the Trump administration has been targeting illegal immigration, blaming it for crime in the country and also prompting measures of mass deportations.
The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office noted on Facebook that the crash brought traffic to a complete standstill. All northbound lanes were closed for several hours as emergency teams removed the wreckage and investigators assessed the scene. Motorists were advised to seek alternate routes and expect significant delays.
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