Indian National Arrested Over Multi-Vehicle Crash in California That Critically Injured Child
New York/Washington: An Indian national who entered the United States illegally has been arrested for causing a multi-vehicle crash in California last year that left a five-year-old girl critically injured with life-altering conditions.
Partap Singh was taken into custody by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last month and remains under detention pending immigration proceedings.
According to authorities, Singh caused a multi-car pileup in June 2024 while operating a commercial 18-wheeler. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that Singh had crossed the southern border illegally in October 2022 and was subsequently released into the country under the Biden administration’s policies.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) report noted that Singh was driving at an unsafe speed and failed to stop for traffic and a construction zone. Singh had been issued a commercial driver’s license by California’s Department of Motor Vehicles.
The crash left five-year-old Dalilah Coleman with critical injuries. She was airlifted to a hospital, remained in a coma for three weeks, and required six months of treatment, including a craniectomy. Coleman suffered a broken femur, skull fractures, and has since been diagnosed with diplegic cerebral palsy and global developmental delays, requiring lifelong therapy. Her father confirmed she can no longer walk, talk, or eat normally and missed starting kindergarten. Dalilah’s stepfather, Michael Krause, and several others were also hospitalized following the collision.
“Dalilah Coleman’s life was forever changed when an illegal alien driving an 18-wheeler slammed into her and her family. This tragedy was entirely preventable,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said. She criticized the California DMV for issuing commercial licenses to individuals without legal status and pledged continued efforts to remove dangerous drivers like Singh.
This case follows a similar incident in August, when another Indian national, Harjinder Singh, was arrested in Florida for causing a fatal crash while driving an 18-wheeler. He killed three people by blocking all lanes of a highway during an illegal U-turn. Harjinder Singh had also obtained a commercial driver’s license despite lacking legal status and had failed an English proficiency test.
In response to such incidents, U.S. authorities temporarily paused the issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers, citing safety concerns and the impact on American truckers’ livelihoods. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is investigating both crashes.
