Illegal Immigrant Trucker Arrested in Fatal Oregon Crash That Killed Newlyweds

A crash between a car and a commercial vehicle in Oregon has left a newlywed couple dead. The driver of the commercial vehicle has been arrested. Authorities said he is an immigrant who had received his driver's license from California.

The crash has restarted the debate over commercial driver licensing policies in California. This is the second immigrant with a driver's license from California linked to a fatal accident. One similar accident happened in October 2025, when 21-year-old Indian immigrant Jashen Preit Singh killed three people while making an improper U-turn. It was later revealed that Singh was an immigrant and had been issued a driver's license in California.

This case has now become a focal point in the conversation surrounding immigration status, licensing policies and road safety.

According to reports, the accused is an immigrant and was issued a commercial driver's license in California under Gov. Gavin Newsom's policies. This has triggered criticism from across the aisle against Newsom and former President Joe Biden, with critics arguing that the state allowed an unqualified and unauthorized person to operate heavy machinery on the road, causing the fatal accident.

The suspect, Rajinder Kumar, 32, had been taken into custody and was released on April 2, 2026. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) claims it had asked for Kumar's arrest, but the request was not honored by Oregon authorities and he was released. However, after the accident, Kumar was arrested on April 22 and is now in ICE custody while authorities complete paperwork for his removal from the country.

ICE has now accused local authorities of noncompliance, saying it can ultimately put citizens in harm's way.

This began when a deadly crash took place on Nov. 24, 2025, along U.S. Highway 20 in Deschutes County, Oregon.

Authorities said Kumar was driving a semi-truck when he lost control and the vehicle jackknifed across both lanes of the highway, blocking traffic.

Just then, a Subaru Outback slammed into the obstructed roadway. The collision resulted in the deaths of the two occupants inside the vehicle: William Micah Carter, 25, and passenger Jennifer Lynn Lower, 24, a young couple who had been married for only sixteen days.

The tragedy drew national attention.

Federal officials stated that Kumar entered the country illegally through Lukeville, Arizona, on Nov. 28, 2022. According to the Department of Homeland Security, he was then released into the country under the immigration policies of the time.

Kumar later received work authorization and a commercial driver's license in California.

Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis sharply condemned the sequence of events that led to Kumar operating a commercial vehicle without proper documents or legal status. She also blamed sanctuary policies and state licensing systems that she said enabled Kumar to remain in the country after the deadly crash.

“This illegal alien was issued a CDL by Gavin Newsom’s California,” Bis said. “He then went on to recklessly drive a truck on America’s highways and kill two honeymooners.”

As removal proceedings and the crash investigation continue, the politics surrounding the crash are likely to intensify, even though that may never bring solace to the victims' families.