A Yuba City semi-truck driver was sentenced Tuesday to four years and eight months in state prison after pleading guilty to three felony counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence in a chain-reaction crash that killed three people on the Interstate 10 Freeway in Ontario.
Prosecutors said the crash occurred in October 2025 when Jashanpreet Singh's big rig struck the rear of another vehicle that had stopped in traffic. The impact set off an eight-vehicle pileup that left three people dead and four others injured, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Evidence and charges
Investigators reviewed eyewitness accounts and dashcam footage that showed Singh's truck traveling at a high rate of speed before colliding with stopped traffic, the CHP said. Singh was arrested at the scene on suspicion of driving under the influence, but toxicology tests later came back negative for alcohol and drugs.
Singh pleaded guilty to three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. Sentencing came after his October arrest and subsequent prosecution in Los Angeles-area courts.
Immigration and employment documentation
The Department of Homeland Security has said Singh is an undocumented immigrant who crossed the U.S.–Mexico border in 2022 as an Indian national. State transportation officials disputed that characterization, saying federal authorities had approved Singh's Employment Authorization Documents, which allowed him to obtain a REAL ID.
State records provided by transportation officials indicate Singh's employment authorization had been extended from April 24, 2025, to Oct. 16, 2026, and then again to Aug. 18, 2030.
- Defendant: Jashanpreet Singh
- Charge: Three counts vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence (felony)
- Sentence: 4 years, 8 months
- Crash: Oct. 2025, I‑10 Freeway, Ontario — eight vehicles involved
- Casualties: 3 dead, 4 injured
Local impact and context
The case highlights continuing concerns about large-truck safety on Southern California freeways and the role of commercial driver oversight. California transportation officials have pointed to the approved employment authorization as evidence Singh was legally employed at the time of the crash; federal and state agencies continue to review documentation standards for commercial drivers.
Families of the victims and community members in the Inland Empire have urged stricter enforcement of trucking safety rules and improved screening for commercial driver fitness. Prosecutors said the guilty plea and sentence reflect the gross negligence finding tied to the speed and failure to stop that precipitated the deadly collision.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Driver | Jashanpreet Singh |
| Sentence | 4 years, 8 months |
| Crash date | Oct. 2025 |
| Location | I‑10 Freeway, Ontario |
| Casualties | 3 dead, 4 injured |
The sentencing closes the criminal case against Singh, but it also renews debate about commercial driving standards, the documentation used to verify legal employment, and what measures might prevent similar tragedies on California roads.
