California CDL violation linked to deadly semi-truck crash, feds say
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President Donald Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy released a bombshell report Thursday night, accusing California of violating federal law by issuing a commercial driver’s license to a foreign asylum seeker who killed three people in a truck crash earlier this week.
The report alleges that Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration ignored a federal order to suspend illegal licenses and revoke improperly issued credentials; it was a failure that, according to Duffy, cost “three innocent souls”.
California also allegedly violated federal law by upgrading the non-resident commercial driver’s license (CDL) of Jashanpreet Singh, an Indian citizen linked to the fatal crash. Despite the federal emergency rule and compliance notice issued Sept. 26.
WHITE HOUSE SAYS CALIFORNIA GRANTED LICENSE TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER ACCUSED IN FATAL DUI CRASH
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks alongside House GOP leaders at a news conference on air traffic controller salaries and the government shutdown at the U.S. Capitol on October 23, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Eric Lee/Getty Images)
“My prayers are with the families of the victims of this tragedy. If Gavin Newsom had followed our new rules, this never would have happened. California broke the law and now three people are dead, two hospitalized. These people deserve justice. There will be consequences,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.
California issued Singh’s CDL on June 27, according to federal records. A Department of Transportation audit on Sept. 26 found “significant compliance errors” in the state’s licensing process, but on Oct. 15 it was reported that officials had upgraded driver licensing despite federal restrictions.
Just six days later, on October 21, the driver’s license holder was behind the wheel of a semi-truck involved in a fatal highway crash that killed three people.
The Department of Transportation gave California 30 days to identify and revoke all noncompliant licenses or risk federal funding penalties.
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The California DMV did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
