A truck driver, who was involved in a fatal crash this past November in Oregon, has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and reckless endangerment.
Multiple news outlets, including the Central Oregon Daily News, reported that Rajinder Kumar entered a not guilty plea on Monday, March 30.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Kumar jackknifed his tractor-trailer and was blocking both lanes of U.S. Highway 20 in Deschutes County, Ore., about 50 miles from Bend, Ore. A Subaru Outback then collided with the tractor-trailer.
Both the driver and passenger – William Carter and Jennifer Lower – died on the scene. Carter and Lower reportedly had been married 16 days before the crash. Carter and Lower were 25 and 24 years old, respectively.
According to an ICE news release, Rajinder, 32, of Fresno, Calif, entered the U.S. illegally near Lukeville, Ariz., on Nov. 28, 2022. Rajinder was issued a commercial driver’s license to work as a truck driver in California and was granted work authorization in 2023.
Following the crash, Rajinder was arrested. He was assisted during his arraignment by a Hindi interpreter.
Kumar could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted, the Daily News reported. His trial is set for January 2027. LL
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