A 28-year-old truck driver living in the U.S. illegally will face homicide charges after an alleged negligent U-turn on Florida’s Turnpike caused a crash that killed three people.
The driver, who entered the country in 2018, failed the knowledge portion of his commercial driver’s license (CDL) test ten times in just over two months during early 2023, including twice failing the air-brakes examination. He eventually obtained a CDL in Washington state in July 2023 and later in California.
Investigators say the crash occurred when the tractor-trailer attempted an unauthorized median U-turn, blocked all northbound lanes, and collided with a minivan. During a previous traffic stop in New Mexico, the driver struggled to speak English and could not clearly communicate road conditions.
The California and Washington licensing departments, under scrutiny, licensed him despite a lack of documented proficiency in English and multiple failed tests. The incident has triggered a federal review of how states issue commercial licenses to noncitizens and the enforcement of vehicle-safety regulations on interstate carriers.