PTI
New York/Washington, Updated At: 01:49 PM Dec 03, 2025 IST
An Indian man who entered the US illegally three years ago has been charged with homicide after two people were killed when the semi‑truck he was driving collided with their car.
Rajinder Kumar, 32, faces charges of criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangering in the crash that killed William Micah Carter, 25, and Jennifer Lynn Lower, 24. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has lodged an arrest detainer for Kumar.
Oregon State Police said officers responded to a two‑vehicle crash in Deschutes County on the night of November 24. Preliminary investigation found a Freightliner commercial motor vehicle and trailer operated by Kumar was stopped in a jackknifed position, blocking both lanes. A car driven by Carter struck the trailer as it was stopped perpendicular to the lanes at highway speeds. Carter and Lower were declared dead at the scene; Kumar was reportedly uninjured.
“The highway was impacted for approximately seven hours during the on‑scene investigation. Dark conditions and a lack of active emergency warning equipment is being considered a primary contributor to the crash,” the Oregon State Police said.
Kumar was arrested and lodged in the Deschutes County Jail. DHS described him as having entered the US illegally near Lukeville, Arizona, on November 28, 2022, and said he was released into the country and issued a commercial driver’s license by California’s Department of Motor Vehicles. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, “How many more senseless tragedies must take place before sanctuary politicians stop allowing illegal aliens to dangerously operate semi‑trucks on America’s roads.”
DHS noted this is the fourth recent instance involving Indians who entered the US illegally and were involved in dangerous or fatal highway crashes while driving trucks. In August, ICE lodged a detainer for Harjinder Singh after his arrest on three counts of vehicular homicide in Florida. The same month, ICE arrested Partap Singh following a multi‑car pileup in California that left a 5‑year‑old with critical injuries. In October, ICE lodged a detainer for Jashanpreet Singh, who killed three people in California while driving an 18‑wheeler under the influence.
