US Trucker Jashanpreet Singh Case | Family Claims Innocence

Kin of US Trucker Involved in Fatal Crash Claim Innocence, Seek SGPC Intervention

The family of Jashanpreet Singh, a 21-year-old truck driver from Punjab, is seeking justice following his arrest in an eight-vehicle accident in Ontario, California, that left three people dead and injured four others. The young driver from the village of Puranashala, near Gurdaspur, has been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter along with driving under the influence of drugs. His family, however, refutes the claims, stressing that Jashanpreet was a practicing Sikh who never consumed intoxicating substances. Ravinder Singh, Shamandeep’s dad who works as a school bus driver, calls his son “very religious and disciplined.” Ravinder shared, “My son participated in nagar kirtans and often played one of the Panj Pyaras in Sikh religious processions. My son was a baptized Sikh who believed in his religion. The comment that he was under the influence of drugs we think to be incorrect and has been very painful for us.”

Both Jashanpreet’s sister, Simranjit Kaur, and mother, Jasveer Kaur, are experiencing devastation. The family has now contacted the Shromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) and Akali Takht, requesting them to advocate for their son’s innocence with the Indian Consulate of California. “We request SGPC and Akal Takht to help us restore our son’s name. He was a religious boy, not a drug addict,” Jasveer Kaur said while breaking down in tears.

The family has faced hardship from the start. They reportedly paid a travel agent ₹40 lakh and mortgaged their family home to send Jashanpreet overseas, thinking this would secure his future. After crossing the border into the United States through the southern border in November 2022, he was initially apprehended by the border patrols at the crossing point but was released under a deportation hearing process per US government protocol.

While California authorities maintain toxicology reports indicate drug use, Jashanpreet’s family demands an investigation conducted thoroughly and transparently. “We are not only devastated by the loss of life but express our condolences to the victims’ family,” Ravinder Singh said, “but our son is wrongfully accused. Ours has been and continues to be about making sure the truth is told.”

While the investigation unfolds, the family in Punjab mourns and looks for clarity while also hoping for support from Sikh religious institutions and Indian authorities to return their son’s dignity amid the legal and emotional difficulties building.