Executive Summary
- Truck driver Sukhjinder Singh is in ICE custody facing possible deportation after a fatal crash in West Virginia.
- Singh pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter in October and received a one-year sentence.
- The victim, Kevin Lataille, was found submerged in Cheat Lake weeks after the January collision.
- Investigators cited unsafe speeds on snow-covered roads as the primary cause of the accident.
Sukhjinder Singh, a truck driver involved in a fatal collision earlier this year, has been transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody facing potential deportation proceedings. The detention follows Singh’s guilty plea to vehicular manslaughter in West Virginia regarding a January incident that resulted in the death of Pennsylvania resident Kevin Lataille.
According to court records, Singh entered a guilty plea in October and received the maximum sentence of one year in jail. Reports indicate that following his sentencing, he was transferred to the North Central Regional Jail, where he remains under the supervision of federal immigration authorities.
The events leading to the conviction began in January when Kevin Lataille was reported missing while commuting home from work. Following a week-long search, authorities located Lataille’s vehicle and body submerged in Cheat Lake. Initial investigations were complicated by the arrest of an unrelated individual sharing the suspect’s name, before law enforcement identified and apprehended the correct Sukhjinder Singh.
During the investigation, Singh told police he lost control of his tractor-trailer due to severe snowstorm conditions. However, detectives citing surveillance footage noted that the large vehicle was sliding on a bridge, displacing snow and striking a passenger vehicle. Investigators concluded that Singh was operating the tractor at an unsafe speed for the road conditions. Witnesses described the driving behavior as “reckless,” according to law enforcement statements.
Forensic analysis further linked Singh to the fatality. CBS News reported that investigators found damage on the rear driver’s side of Lataille’s vehicle consistent with a collision from Singh’s tractor. This impact reportedly forced the passenger vehicle off the bridge and into the lake below.
Immigration and Legal Implications
This case underscores the intersection of state criminal liability and federal immigration enforcement. While Singh has satisfied the initial phase of his criminal processing through the state plea deal, his transfer to ICE custody indicates that his conviction for vehicular manslaughter has triggered a review of his residency status in the United States. Under U.S. immigration law, certain criminal convictions can serve as grounds for deportation, placing the focus now on administrative proceedings rather than criminal court. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, and due process rights apply to ongoing immigration hearings.
