California DMV criticized after driver involved in two fatal crashes

A fatal collision outside Fresno in June 2022 resulted in the death of Jenny Chow after her family's SUV was struck by a speeding semitruck driven by Baljit Singh. Law enforcement determined Singh caused the crash by driving too fast.

Court filings and police reports indicate that Singh had been involved in a previous fatal accident in July 2021 in Kern County, where he killed a motorcyclist. In that earlier incident, investigators found evidence suggesting Singh was fatigued after exceeding the 12-hour driving limit and had destroyed log book pages. Despite the California Department of Motor Vehicles having the authority to suspend Singh’s driving privileges following the 2021 crash, he was permitted to continue operating heavy vehicles until the 2022 collision.