ARI, THANK YOU. THE STATE ATTORNEY RESPONSIBLE FOR PROSECUTING THE CASE OF HARJINDER SINGH HAS ANNOUNCED THEY ARE MOVING FULL SPEED AHEAD. IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW, STATE ATTORNEY TOM BAKKEDAHL STATED THAT SINGH’S IMMIGRATION STATUS IS CREATING COMPLICATIONS, BUT THEY REMAIN RESOLUTE IN PURSUING THE CASE. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER TERRY PARKER INTERVIEWED BOCA DEL MAR, SHARING INSIGHT INTO SINGH’S IMMIGRATION HISTORY, WHICH IS CRUCIAL FOR THE CASE.
TIFFANY, BAKKEDAHL POINTED OUT THAT ITS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEX BACKGROUND OF HOW SINGH CAME TO BE OPERATING A TRUCK IN FLORIDA. HE ADDED THAT COORDINATING WITH CALIFORNIA AND FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES INTRODUCES MORE CHALLENGES. SINGH, WHO HAS ALREADY BEEN ARRESTED, HAS NOT BEEN FORMALLY CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH THE CRASH THAT CLAIMED THREE LIVES ON FLORIDA’S TURNPIKE LAST WEEK.
THE PROSECUTION, LED BY TOM BAKKEDAHL, WILL PURSUE THREE COUNTS OF VEHICULAR HOMICIDE. “I’M NOT LETTING THIS GUY GO. HE’S GOING TO BE A RESIDENT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOR A VERY LONG TIME,” SAID BAKKEDAHL. HE NOTED THAT SINGH’S UNDOCUMENTED STATUS COMPLICATES THINGS, AS IT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW HE OBTAINED HIS DRIVER’S LICENSE AND COMMERCIAL TRUCK LICENSE, AS WELL AS HIS LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING OF ENGLISH AND U.S. ROAD LAWS.
“WHAT’S THE EXTENT OF HIS UNDERSTANDING OF THE LANGUAGE AND ROAD SIGNS? BASIC THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED,” HE STATED. THEY NOW MUST ACCUMULATE INFORMATION FROM CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS NOT ALWAYS COOPERATIVE WITH FLORIDA. BAKKEDAHL ALSO MENTIONED THAT SINGH’S IMMIGRATION STATUS PRESENTS A HIGHER RISK OF FLIGHT, PUSHING THEM TO ACT SWIFTLY ON THE MATTER.
THE PROSECUTION CONTINUES COLLABORATING WITH FEDERAL AND CALIFORNIA OFFICIALS TO GATHER SINGH’S BACKGROUND. FORMAL CHARGES HAVE NOT YET BEEN FILED, BUT BAKKEDAHL CONFIRMED THAT THREE COUNTS OF VEHICULAR HOMICIDE ARE UNDER PREPARATION.
WHEN ASKED ABOUT AN ONLINE PETITION THAT HAS GATHERED OVER 2.5 MILLION SIGNATURES URGING LENIENCY FOR SINGH, BAKKEDAHL RESPONDED, “FRANKLY, I DON’T CARE IF THEY HAD 250 MILLION SIGNATURES. WE WILL ADHERE TO THE LAW AND FULFILL OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.” HE ASSURED THAT FORMAL CHARGES WOULD BE FILED WITHIN 30 DAYS AND EXPECTED THIS TO OCCUR PROMPTLY.
TOP HEADLINES: 1 PERSON SHOT AND KILLED NEAR BAK MIDDLE SCHOOL IN WEST PALM BEACH.
