DUI charges dropped for driver in deadly SoCal pile up crash

All DUI charges have been dropped for the truck driver involved in the deadly pile up crash in Southern California last month. 

21-year-old Jashanpreet Singh was involved in a pile up crash that killed three people on October 21st in Ontario, California. He pleaded not guilty to DUI and manslaughter charges on October 24th. The amended charges were released on Friday, October 31st, dropping all felony DUI charges. 

The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office has since stated that “toxicology reports confirmed none of the substances tested were present in the defendant’s blood at the time the test was rendered.”

Singh is still facing three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one count of reckless driving on a highway causing a specified injury. Prosecutors have not released any other reasons for the crash, reported CBS.

Singh was in the country illegally at the time of the crash, according to the Department of Homeland Security. However, the state that issued his CDL, California, states that the federal government approved his Employment Authorization Documents, allowing him to obtain a REAL ID, which confirmed his legal status prior to obtaining a CDL. That RELA ID extended his legal employment until August 2030. 

“This is a heinous tragedy that took three lives and severely injured others.  Frankly, it was easily avoidable if the defendant was not driving in a grossly negligent manner and impaired.  Had the rule of law been followed by State and Federal officials the defendant should have never been in California at all,” San Bernardino County District Attorney, Jason Anderson, said in a previous statement, reported FOX. 

Singh is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, November 4th. It is unclear if that date will change due to the amended charges. He is currently being held without bail.