ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — A human rights attorney held a news conference in St. Lucie County on Tuesday to share more details on the case involving a semi driver charged with killing three people after making an illegal U-turn on Florida's Turnpike.
Gurpatwant Pannun, an attorney for the group Sikhs for Justice, spoke in front of the St. Lucie County jail and said the driver, Harjinder Singh, feels grief and remorse.
Pannun said he wants the public to know that Singh made a tragic error in judgment two weeks ago when investigators said his illegal U-turn on Florida's Turnpike this month caused the deaths of three people in a minivan.
The attorney said the Sikhs for Justice organization is contributing $100,000 to the families of the three people who died in the crash.
Pannun said that Singh told him that he tried to help the three people in the minivan after the crash, but could not get into their vehicle.
A witness also reported seeing Singh try to help after the crash.
Pannun said that the Florida Highway Patrol left Singh at a gas station after the deadly collision on Aug. 12.
"He stayed at a motel, and the next morning, the owner of the truck sent him two tickets to fly back to California," Pannun said.
Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins flew to California last week and escorted Singh back to Florida.
Singh is being held without bond at the St. Lucie County jail on three counts of vehicular homicide and three additional charges of vehicular manslaughter.
Pannun said he believes Singh will get a fair trial despite entering the U.S. illegally and later receiving a license to drive a semi.
