New Evidence in Deadly Semi Crash
Prosecutors originally charged a 21-year-old man with DUI-collision following an October 2025 crash that killed three people. New evidence prompted prosecutors to amend the charges.
The Yuba City man pleaded not guilty to charges on Oct. 24, including driving under the influence of drugs, causing bodily injury, and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
In a news release, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office said, “Toxicology reports confirmed none of the substances tested were present in the defendant’s blood at the time the test was rendered.”
The amended complaint issued on Friday included three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one count of reckless driving on a highway causing a specified injury. Prosecutors did not state whether it’s believed that the man fell asleep at the wheel, was distracted or if any other factors could be involved.
Investigations from the California Highway Patrol found that Singh failed to stop his truck before it crashed into the back of another vehicle on I-10, causing a grisly chain-reaction crash that killed three adults.
Other issues are involved as well. The Department of Homeland Security claims he’s an undocumented immigrant who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in 2022 as an Indian national.
California transportation officials dispute those claims and say the federal government approved his Employment Authorization Documents, which allowed him to receive a REAL ID that confirmed his legal status. State officials say that extended his legal employment from April 24, 2025, to Oct. 16, 2026, then again to Aug. 18, 2030.
Large Truck Crashes
A fully-loaded large truck weighs more than 80,000 pounds. Furthermore, regulators regularly issue waivers that allow even larger vehicles on streets and highways. Even the most experienced drivers have trouble controlling such vehicles when conditions are ideal.
Because of the ongoing truck driver shortage, many semi-truck operators have little or no experience behind the wheel. So, they have difficulty watching their blind spots and operating under the speed limit, especially on steep hills.
The same duty of care applies to all truck drivers. It doesn’t matter if they’ve been driving semi-trucks for thirty years or thirty minutes.
Additionally, road and traffic conditions are hardly ever ideal in SoCal. Occasional heavy rains make roads slick. Large vehicles, like semi-trucks, are almost impossible to control under such conditions. Heavy traffic delays divers. So, they try to make up the time when they’re dangerously fatigued.
Legal Issues
Semi-truck drivers often get distracted, and a San Marcos personal injury lawyer could easily get distracted as well. Many vehicle collision cases involve peripheral issues that distract from the real issue, which is the negligence, or lack thereof, of the truck driver.
The ordinary negligence and negligence per se doctrine may be available in a truck crash case. Ordinary negligence is basically a lack of care, such as driving while impaired (sleepy, drunk, etc.) or aggressively (speeding, turning illegally, etc.) that causes a crash. Negligence per se is the violation of a safety law, such as the DUI law, that substantially causes injury.
A San Marcos personal injury lawyer must be very flexible in these cases. Initially, it appeared that the negligence per se shortcut may be available in this case, since the driver was charged with DUI. Now, a civil case must be based on the ordinary negligence doctrine. There appears to be plenty of circumstantial evidence to support an ordinary negligence case.
Truck drivers are legally responsible for the crashes they cause. The shipping or transportation company that owned the cargo or truck is often financially responsible for damages, under the respondeat superior rule. Employers are financially responsible for damages if the employees are negligent during the course and scope of their employment.
Respondeat superior is a double-edged sword. It gives victims access to a supplemental source of recovery, which is a good thing, given the catastrophic injuries these wrecks often cause. However, shipping and transportation companies are usually out-of-state holding companies, a fact that adds another layer to an already complex case.
Count on a Savvy San Diego County Lawyer
Injury victims are entitled to substantial compensation. For a confidential consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in San Marcos, contact the Pursley Law Firm. The sooner you reach out to us, the sooner we start working for you.
Source:
cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/semi-truck-driver-deadly-crash-southern-california-toxicology-test/
