More than 215,000 Indians have signed an online petition urging the federal government to free Harjinder Singh, the illegal migrant trucker who killed three Americans by doing an 18-wheeler U-Turn on a Florida turnpike.
“We, the undersigned, respectfully petition for clemency or sentence reduction on behalf of a 28-year-old Punjabi man who, in a tragic and unintentional incident, caused a truck accident that resulted in the loss of three lives,” says the petition at Change.org.
Instead of a prison sentence, the petition asks their fellow Indian be sentenced to “restorative justice measures, counseling, or community service, aligning with both accountability and compassion.”
“With deep respect and hope, Collective Punjabi youth,” the petition says. Punjab is a district in India that is heavily populated by the turban-wearing, non-Muslim Sikh ethnic group.
The Indian trucker is part of the fast-growing Indian Sikh community in the United States, which includes many illegal and legal migrants. In a post-accident test, he failed to understand English and highway signs.
He is now facing homicide charges in Florida amid public pressure for the proper enforcement of their laws.
Since 1990, U.S. government officials have stopped enforcing many laws to encourage migrants to enter the nation’s highways, housing, white-collar workplaces, and streets. More than 5 million Indians now live legally or illegally in the United States amid growing American opposition to the pocketbook damage and chaotic diversity caused by their arrival.
The accident echoes the imported Indian highway culture. “Risk-taking is another prevalent characteristic of Indian drivers,” Indian author Rohit Singh said in a 2024 article:
Most Indian drivers do not think twice before overtaking from the wrong side, speeding on crowded streets, or ignoring traffic signals. This I-care-a-damn and daredevil attitude is a product of the belief that getting ahead, even if only by a few seconds or minutes, is more important than safety. The lack of strict enforcement of traffic laws further emboldens drivers to undertake risky maneuvers, endangering themselves and others.
Another significant issue is the blatant disregard for traffic rules. Many drivers see rules as mere suggestions rather than mandatory guidelines. This attitude stems from poor road discipline and inadequate penalties for violations. The culture of non-compliance is also perpetuated by witnessing others frequently mock rules without facing any consequences whatsoever, creating a vicious cycle of lawlessness on the roads.
The pro-Indian petition cites the case of a trucker in Colorado who killed four Americans in a highway backup. The trucker’s brake failed, but he did not use an emergency exit ramp and continued at a speed of 100 miles per hour:
Key Considerations & Precedent:
No criminal intent or history: The [Florida] incident was a catastrophe, not a criminal act. The driver has no prior record and fully cooperated with authorities.
Disproportionate sentencing: The imposed 45-year sentence is excessively severe given the nature of the accident.
Relevant precedent—Aguilera‑Mederos case: In Colorado, a driver, Rogel Aguilera‑Mederos, initially received a 110-year sentence for a fatal crash resulting in four deaths. Following a massive public outcry and a petition that garnered over 5 million signatures, [Democratic, pro-migration] Governor Jared Polis commuted his sentence to 10 years, with parole eligibility after five years (The Guardian, ABC, CBS News).
The Indian signatories repeatedly declare their solidarity with the Indian illegal migrant, not with the dead Americans.
Many signatories submitted versions of this statement:
It was an accident. he made a terrible mistake, not a deliberate choice to harm anyone. He was working hard to support his family, like so many of us, and one wrong decision changed everything. A 45-year prison sentence is not justice
One signatory, Sandeep, wrote:
It’s tragedy it’s accident he didn’t done it by purposely,accident happened it’s not fair with him,lots of criminal walking free without any punishment they get mental health card to walk free, why it’s unfair with him just because he is migrating,
Many of the apparent signatories are other Indian migrants in the United States. “Divanshi” wrote, “He left everything backhome to have a better future here. It was a terrible mistake not intentionally. 45 years is a long time.”
Mohit wrote:
45 yrs of imprisonment?? is it fair for a young boy who left his home country to have bright future ,support family ??? NO .. it was mistake not intentional.. this kind of sentence is a result of racial discrimination where comments were made that driver had no remorse, he didn’t show emotions after he saw that accident but the TRUTH is he was in shock , devastated.. his whole life was shattering in front of his eyes.. Here, people do crime, rob and kill but left free on the basis of term mental…
Perdeep downplayed personal responsibility by using the passive voice:
Yes, mistakes were made, but one mistake should not mean the end of someone’s future. So many times we’ve seen people guilty of even worse crimes walk away with lighter punishments. Why should he suffer more? He is a son, a brother, and a human being who deserves a second chance.
It was fate, not crime, said another Hman named Harpreet:
Its too much bad to see this everybody do u turn from here you should use divider if safety you want the person who was driving the car is also using something so he did not saw the big truck infront of them and accudent happen fault is of both parties but they had their fate and they died but its not good to died alive person in jail for 45 years its should be less then 3-5 years . Mom dad are seeking for their son its too bad please donot do that .
Some of the Indians left video or voice messages, often from truck cabs, apparently in the United States: “He just took a wrong turn …accident happen,” said Parvinder Kaur, a female Sikh.
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