ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — Civil and criminal subpoenas have been issued to the employer of a semi driver charged in a crash last month that killed three people on Florida's Turnpike in St. Lucie County.
The announcement was made on Thursday by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier during a news conference in Hillsborough County.
WATCH BELOW: Subpoenas issued for semi driver's employer, Florida AG says
The driver, Harjinder Singh, 28, obtained a commercial driver's license (CDL) in California and Washington after entering the country illegally via Mexico in 2018. The Department of Homeland Security said Singh's request for work authorization was denied in 2020 but approved in 2021.
At the time of the Aug. 12 crash where Singh made an illegal U-turn, he was employed by White Hawk Carriers based in Ceres, California.
Uthmeier said Thursday that subpoenas have been issued to White Hawk Carriers, which compel the company to produce business records, communications and certifications related to Singh's employment and licensing.
"In Florida, we don't just talk the talk, we're going to use every tool, every legal tool, at our disposal to fight back and protect our citizens," Uthmeier said.
The Florida attorney general said Thursday that Singh did not know how to speak English. However, a video released by New Mexico State Police last week showed Singh conversing with an officer in English during a July 3 traffic stop.
"(Singh) never should have received that CDL license in the first place," Uthmeier said. "Not only was he illegally here in the country, but he also did not have the competency, the skillset. There's no way he went through the proper training in order to get this license."
Read the subpoena below:
Additionally, Uthmeier said his office has sent "legal demands" to both California and Washington "to get as much information as possible" regarding how Singh obtained licenses in their states.
"How many other illegal aliens, who do not speak English, who do not have the competency to drive such large commercial vehicles, how many of them are out on the roads endangering American families?" the Florida attorney general said.
He acknowledged that with these subpoenas being issued out of state, Florida could be in for a "legal fight ahead of us, no doubt."
"These sanctuary states, for whatever reason, want to double down and protect criminals, but we will continue to fight the good fight, and we will prevail," Uthmeier said.
WATCH BELOW: Calif. trucking company under scrutiny following deadly crash
WPTV INVESTIGATES TRUCKING COMPANY
Shortly after the crash, WPTV reporter Kayla McDermott spoke with transportation expert James Lewis, who stated that federal records reveal a lengthy list of safety issues for White Hawk Carriers.
Data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration showed more than 80 violations for the company over the past two years.
Most notably, the U.S. Department of Transportation downgraded the company's credentials the same day as the crash, restricting it to operate only in California.
"Ironically, on the date of this crash, that truck should not have been in Florida or any other state except for California," Lewis told WPTV.
Singh remains held without bond at the St. Lucie County jail, facing three counts of vehicular homicide and three counts of manslaughter.
Read more of WPTV's coverage of the case below:
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