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Oregon Tragedy: Who Is Rajinder Kumar? Illegal Immigrant From India Arrested, Charged In Deadly Truck Crash After Killing Newlywed Couple

Indian national Rajinder Kumar was arrested in Oregon after a semi-truck crash killed a newlywed couple. Accused of entering the US illegally in 2022, he now faces homicide charges. ICE has issued a detainer, reigniting debate over immigration rules and undocumented truck drivers in America.

Published by Ashish Kumar Singh
Published: December 3, 2025 17:18:35 IST

Rajinder Kumar entered the United States illegally in 2022.( PHOTO: dhs.gov)

Rajinder Kumar, an Indian national, was arrested in Oregon after a tragic crash killed a newlywed couple. US officials say Kumar entered the country illegally back in 2022.

The crash happened on November 24 near Bend. Kumar, 32, was driving his semi-truck when he lost control and slammed into another car. William Carter and his wife, Jennifer Lower, died at the scene. They hadn’t been married long.

Indian Truck Driver Arrested in Oregon

Right now, Kumar faces charges of criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment. He’s in the Deschutes County jail, according to the New York Post.

The Department of Homeland Security says Kumar crossed into the US near Lukeville, Arizona, on November 28, 2022. They claim California later issued him a commercial driver’s license, and the Biden administration approved his work authorisation in 2023.

Immigration Controversy Erupts After Oregon Accident

After the crash, ICE put an immigration detainer on Kumar, hoping to get custody if the county releases him. But Oregon’s sanctuary laws make things tricky.

Kumar was cleared for bail, but he’s still in jail because he doesn’t have a passport to hand over, which the court needs before release, local news reported.

Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin reacted strongly, calling Kumar “a criminal illegal alien from India, released into our country” and blaming political leaders for letting undocumented drivers operate big trucks on American roads.

She said DHS and ICE would keep working to keep “illegal alien truck drivers off America’s highways,” and offered sympathy to the victims’ families.

Not the first incident

This isn’t the first time an Indian truck driver has been involved in a deadly crash in the US. Kumar’s case is the fourth in 2025 alone. Back in August, ICE put a detainer on Harjinder Singh after he was charged with three counts of vehicular homicide in Florida.

That same month, police in California arrested Partap Singh after a crash that left a five-year-old in critical condition. And in October, Jashanpreet Singh was accused of driving under the influence and killing three people in California.

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