Manjit Singh, a 50-year-old Indian-origin semi-truck driver from Fresno, California, has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide after allegedly causing a head-on crash on September 2 in Ohio that killed 50-year-old Brenda Watson. The US Department of Homeland Security blames the Biden administration's immigration policies and California's sanctuary policies for allowing Singh to obtain a commercial driver's license (CDL). According to court records, Singh was attempting to pass another vehicle when he collided with Watson's car, and a witness stated that Singh was speeding with "ample time and space" to merge back into the northbound lane. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin claims that Singh had entered the US illegally in 2023 and later obtained a CDL from California despite not being authorized to be in the country.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-10,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Manjit Singh, a 50-year-old Indian-origin semi-truck driver from Fresno, California, has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide after allegedly causing a head-on crash in Ohio that killed a 50-year-old woman named Brenda Watson. The crash occurred on September 2 at around 9pm on US 68 and Hamer Road in Brown County's Pleasant Township. According to court records, Singh was attempting to pass another vehicle when he hit Watson's car, and a witness reported that he was speeding and had enough time and space to merge back into the northbound lane before the crash. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is blaming the Biden administration's immigration policies and California's sanctuary policies, which allowed Singh to obtain a commercial driver's license (CDL), for allowing him to be on the road in the first place.
Written for “Indian Man Charged in Crash” on 2026-09-10,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.85, but none of the 1 quote(s) it offered could be found in the article text, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 7427: no verified evidence · logged 2026-09-10
An Indian-origin semi-truck driver has been charged with aggravated vehicular homicide after allegedly causing a head-on crash in Ohio that killed a 50-year-old woman, with the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) blaming the Biden administration’s immigration policies and California’s sanctuary policies for allowing him to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
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him → charge → license
The crash took place around 9pm on September 2 on US 68 and Hamer Road in Brown County’s Pleasant Township, according to local reports and court records.
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crash → take → reports
Ohio State Highway Patrol said a 2019 Volvo tractor-trailer was passing another northbound vehicle when it collided head-on with a southbound Chevrolet Cruze.
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it → say → Cruze
Woman killed in head-on crash
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Woman → kill → crash
The driver of the Chevrolet, identified as Brenda Watson, 50, of West Union, died at the scene, according to the highway patrol.
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driver → identify → patrol
Court records say the semi-truck driver,
Manjit Singh of Fresno, California, was attempting to pass another vehicle when he hit Watson’s car.
asserted
he → say → car
A witness told investigators that Singh was speeding and had “ample time and space” to merge back into the northbound lane before the crash.
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Singh → tell → crash
Singh was arrested and charged with aggravated vehicular homicide.
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Singh → arrest → homicide
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) subsequently lodged a detainer with Brown County Jail, asking officials to notify the agency before releasing him.
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Immigration → lodge → him
DHS targets Biden, Newsom policies
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Singh had entered the US illegally through Arizona in October 2023 and was encountered by US Border Patrol before being released into the country.
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Singh → target → country
DHS said Singh later applied for work authorisation in July 2024, which was granted in August 2024.
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which → say → August
DHS also said Singh had obtained a commercial driver’s licence from California.
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Singh → say → California
“He has no business being in our country or on our roads, but because of the reckless open borders of the Biden Administration and the sanctuary policies of Gavin Newsom’s California, he was able to obtain a CDL that allowed him behind the wheel of a semi-truck,” Mullin said.
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Mullin → have → truck
Mullin said ICE had lodged the detainer so Singh would not be released back onto the streets and could be removed from the US.
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Singh → say → US
He also expressed condolences to Watson’s family.
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He → express → family
DHS cited several other cases involving immigrants who had obtained commercial or regular driving licences in California under Governor Gavin Newsom.
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who → cite → Newsom
The department alleged that some later faced criminal charges or were involved in fatal crashes in other US states.
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some → allege → states
