Indian Trucker Charged After Oregon Crash Kills Two

An Indian national who entered the United States illegally three years ago has been charged with homicide after a devastating crash in Oregon left two young Americans dead. The incident has intensified scrutiny on undocumented immigrants operating commercial vehicles in the country.

According to the Oregon State Police, the fatal collision occurred on the night of November 24 in Deschutes County. Investigators said Rajinder Kumar, 32, was driving a freightliner commercial truck when it came to a stop in a jackknifed position, blocking both lanes of the highway. The truck, positioned perpendicular to traffic, had no active emergency warning equipment deployed at the time, authorities added.

A car driven at highway speed by 25-year-old William Micah Carter crashed directly into the trailer of the immobilized truck. Both Carter and his passenger, 24-year-old Jennifer Lynn Lower, were pronounced dead at the scene. Kumar escaped without injury.

Police said the crash site required approximately seven hours of investigation due to severe impact and low-light conditions. Preliminary findings noted that darkness and the absence of hazard indicators on the truck were major contributing factors.

Kumar has been arrested and charged with criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangering. He is currently lodged at the Deschutes County Jail.

Following the arrest, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had filed an arrest detainer for Kumar. DHS officials said Kumar illegally crossed into the United States near Lukeville, Arizona, on November 28, 2022, and was later released into the country.

Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticized the circumstances that allowed Kumar to obtain a commercial driver’s license. Calling him a “criminal illegal” from India, she blamed federal and state policies for enabling undocumented immigrants to operate heavy-duty commercial trucks. She questioned how many more tragedies the country must witness before stricter enforcement is implemented.

This case marks the fourth time in recent months that undocumented Indian nationals driving commercial trucks have been involved in fatal or serious crashes in the United States.

In August, ICE issued a detainer for Harjinder Singh, who was arrested in Florida on three counts of vehicular homicide. Around the same time, another driver, Partap Singh, caused a major pileup with an 18-wheeler in California, leaving a five-year-old girl with critical, long-term injuries. In October, ICE lodged a detainer for Jashanpreet Singh after he killed three people in California while allegedly operating an 18-wheeler under the influence.

As investigations continue, the Oregon crash has renewed debate over undocumented drivers in the commercial trucking sector and the broader implications for road safety across the United States.