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Wrongful death lawsuit filed in St. Lucie County in fatal Turnpike crash involving semi-truck driver

The lawsuit filed by an attorney representing the estate of Faniola Joseph, names multiple defendants including the truck driver, and a company manager

SLCSO/DHS

By: Aja Dorsainvil

Posted

and last updated

Update as of June 30, 2026:

C.H. Robinson statement on being voluntarily dismissed from Cantelar v. White Hawk Carriers case due to false accusations:

"The lawsuit in Cantelar v. White Hawk Carriers incorrectly alleged that C.H. Robinson brokered the shipment involved in the accident. That was false, which is why C.H. Robinson has been dismissed from the case.

C.H. Robinson did not broker or arrange the shipment, nor was it involved in the selection of the trucking company that moved the shipment. In fact, at the time of the accident, the trucking company in question was blocked in C.H. Robinson’s system from being booked on any load.

Once the plaintiff learned the truth, they voluntarily dismissed C.H. Robinson from the case on June 26, 2026.

C.H. Robinson should not have been named as a defendant in this case, and its dismissal reflects the underlying facts.

Any commentary suggesting that C.H. Robinson may have been involved through a “double brokerage” arrangement or somehow booked the load outside of its mandatory, rigorous, and multi-layered carrier vetting process is false. This was not a C.H. Robinson load, and neither C.H. Robinson nor any C.H. Robinson employee had any role in brokering or arranging the transportation of this load with any carrier."

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A wrongful death lawsuit was filed Thursday months after a fatal crash on Florida's Turnpike that killed three people, when a semi-truck driver made an illegal U-turn in St. Lucie County.

The lawsuit, filed by an attorney representing the estate of victim Faniola Joseph, names multiple defendants including the truck driver, and a company manager.

WATCH BELOW: 3 dead after semi attempts to make U-turn on Florida's Turnpike

3 dead after semi attempts to make U-turn on Florida's Turnpike

Fatal Crash Details on Florida Turnpike

On Aug. 12, 2025, at approximately 2:57 p.m., commercial truck driver Harjinder Singh attempted an illegal U-turn through a median crossover on Florida's Turnpike near Mile Marker 171 in St. Lucie County, according to the lawsuit complaint.

The crossover was clearly marked "U-TURN OFFICIAL USE ONLY," court documents state. The 53-foot trailer swung across and completely blocked all northbound travel lanes.

A minivan driven by Herby Dufresne, carrying passengers Rodrigue Dor and Faniola Joseph, struck the left side of the trailer in what the complaint describes as "a classic and fatal underride crash." All three occupants were killed, with Joseph pronounced dead at the scene.

Truck Driver's Immigration Status Questioned

The lawsuit alleges Harjinder Singh "was present in the United States illegally, without lawful immigration status, and without authorization to work in the United States." Despite this alleged status, Harjinder Singh obtained a Class A California commercial driver's license, which the complaint states California issued "in violation of applicable federal and state regulations."

The complaint further alleges Harjinder Singh lacked required English language proficiency under "federal regulation 49 C.F.R. 391.11(b)(2), which mandates commercial drivers must read and speak English sufficiently to understand highway signs and respond to official inquiries."

WATCH BELOW: "White Hawk has violated the ‘unsafe driving’ category 9 times," expert James Lewis tells WPTV

Troubled trucking firm tied to deadly crash on Florida's Turnpike

Trucking Company's Safety Record Under Scrutiny

The trucking company already had a documented unsafe federal safety record, according to the lawsuit. The complaint alleges this record included:

A prior reportable crash on approximately Dec. 9, 2024
Multiple roadside inspection citations for unsafe driving violations including speeding and improper lane changes
Repeated hours-of-service violations with falsified duty status records
Vehicle defects including brake problems and air-brake leaks

This safety information was publicly available through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Safety Measurement System data, the complaint states.

WATCH PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Driver in fatal crash on Florida's Turnpike held without bond in St. Lucie County Jail

Driver in fatal Turnpike crash held without bond in St. Lucie County

Company Manager Named Individually

Harpreet Singh, identified as a White Hawk Carriers' manager and California resident, is named individually in the lawsuit. The complaint alleges he was personally responsible for hiring, training, and supervising company drivers, including Harjinder Singh.

The lawsuit claims Harpreet Singh failed to adequately investigate the truck driver's immigration status, work authorization, English proficiency, and overall fitness before hiring.

Additional Safety Violations Alleged

At the time of the crash, an unauthorized passenger identified as Harneet Singh was in the truck cab, according to the complaint. This represents additional violations of safety standards and federal motor carrier regulations, the lawsuit states.

Why This Matters Now

This case highlights ongoing concerns about trucking industry safety oversight and the responsibility of freight brokers in carrier selection. With Florida's highways seeing increased commercial traffic, the lawsuit raises questions about immigration status verification, English proficiency requirements for commercial drivers, and the accountability of companies that hire carriers with poor safety records.

The lawsuit seeks damages exceeding $75,000 under Florida's Wrongful Death Act, with Joseph's daughter entitled to compensation for her mother's death.

On June 15, WPTV received the following statement from C.H. Robinson with regard to White Hawk Carriers:

White Hawk Carriers is not an approved carrier for C.H. Robinson nor been authorized in our system for years. This carrier last moved a shipment for C.H. Robinson on Jan. 29, 2024, and they were not active or authorized at the time of the Aug. 12, 2025 incident in question. We also have no record of this shipment being brokered by C.H. Robinson.

Our deepest sympathies go out to all the families affected by roadway tragedies. Safety matters deeply to us and is foundational to how we operate and the decisions we make every day. Our employees and their families travel these same roads, and our business depends on safe freight delivery.

Shipments we arrange overwhelmingly move without incident, but even one accident is one too many, which is why we continually advocate for strong federal oversight, tougher enforcement, and meaningful reforms that make roads safer for American families.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Read more of WPTV's coverage on this fatal crash below: