Florida crash accused Harjinder Singh failed his CDL exam 10 times in two months, says report
Harjinder Singh reportedly failed his CDL knowledge exam in Washington state 10 times between March 10, 2023 and May 5, 2023.
Indian truck driver Harjinder Singh, who has been accused of killing three people by making an illegal U-turn in Florida, reportedly failed his Commercial Driver's License (CDL) test 10 times.
According to a report by Fox News, Singh allegedly failed his CDL knowledge exam in Washington state 10 times between March 10, 2023 and May 5, 2023. He also failed his air brakes knowledge exam twice, the report said, citing Investigators with the Florida AG's office.
Also read: Harjinder Singh case: How a deadly crash in Florida has led to petitions and counter-petitions
The Punjab origin man made a U-turn on the Florida Turnpike, which, authorities said, caused a crash that killed three people. He made an illegal U-turn with his 18-wheeler, causing the truck to smash into the sides of a semi.
The company that trained Singh for his test attested that he could speak English, despite struggling to speak fluently. The Washington company still issued him his first CDL, and California later granted him another.
Fox news further citied bodycam footage released in August, which showed Singh struggling to speak English after being pulled over for speeding in New Mexico. He was allegedly driving at 60 mph in a 45 mph zone.
Also read: Indian-origin truck driver behind Florida crash that killed 3 pleads not guilty
Harjinder Singh also reportedly failed his English and road sign tests. Earlier, the truck driver entered a not guilty plea in court.
On October 15, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that several big rig drivers fail to meet English language requirements, a problem that his department is targeting.
He also put states on notice to enforce Trump's English language requirements, threatening to stop funding. “California is the only state in the nation that refuses to ensure big rig drivers can read our road signs and communicate with law enforcement,” Duffy said further. He called it a fundamental safety issue.
