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William Micah Carter and Jennifer Lynn Lower (left) and Rajinder Kumar (right) (Image/X@DHSgov)
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested an Indian-origin motortruck operator accused successful a fatal 2025 roadworthy mishap successful Oregon that killed a recently joined couple.
The apprehension comes weeks aft section authorities released him from custody connected April 2. Rajinder Kumar, 32, is presently being held astatine the Northwest ICE Processing Center successful Tacoma, Washington and has been placed successful removal proceedings.
Fatal clang that killed recently joined couple
According to officials, the incidental dates backmost to November 24 past twelvemonth erstwhile Kumar allegedly jackknifed his semi-truck and trailer, blocking some lanes of US Highway 20 successful Deschutes County, Oregon.
A Subaru Outback collided with the truck, resulting successful the deaths of operator William Micah Carter and rider Jennifer Lynn Lower. The mates had been joined for conscionable 16 days and were returning location aft their wedding reception, Lookout Eugene-Springfield reported.
State Police arrested Kumar connected the aforesaid day. He has since been charged with 2 counts of manslaughter and 3 counts of recklessly endangering different person.
Court records amusement that helium pleaded not blameworthy to each charges connected March 30 and his proceedings is present scheduled for January 19, 2027.
Release from jailhouse and consequent ICE arrest
Court documents bespeak that Kumar was released from Deschutes County Jail connected April 2 aft bail conditions were met. The merchandise bid included physics monitoring requirements. However, national migration authorities had earlier filed a detainer petition seeking notification and impermanent custody upon his release.ICE said section authorities did not comply with this request. In a statement, the bureau said: "On April 2, 2026, Oregon sanctuary politicians refused to cooperate with ICE and RELEASED Kumar backmost onto the streets of Oregon. On April 22, 2026, ICE arrested Rajinder. Now, helium is being held astatine the Northwest ICE Processing Center successful Tacoma and has been placed successful removal proceedings."
DHS and ICE statements connected arrest
Following Kumar’s arrest, DHS criticised section authorities and highlighted broader concerns astir migration enforcement.Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said: "This amerciable alien was issued a CDL by Gavin Newsom’s California. He past went connected to recklessly thrust a motortruck connected America’s highways and KILL 2 honeymooners. Instead of cooperating with ICE instrumentality enforcement, Oregon sanctuary politicians RELEASED him from jailhouse backmost into American communities."She further added: "Every clip sanctuary politicians merchandise a unsafe transgression amerciable alien backmost into our communities, they are gambling with American lives.
We are grateful to our ICE instrumentality enforcement officers who tracked this slayer down to guarantee he’s permanently removed from America’s highways and tin ne'er harm different American household again."Officials besides stated that Kumar had entered the United States illegally adjacent Lukeville, Arizona successful November 2022 and was aboriginal granted enactment authorization. He was besides issued a commercialized driver’s licence successful California.
Legal proceedings and prosecution concerns
Despite the ICE detention, section prosecutors person indicated their volition to proceed with the transgression case.
Deschutes County District Attorney Stephen Gunnels said: "We would anticipation and mean to spell guardant with the transgression case… That said, national actions are beyond our control, and we person nary input into that process."Kumar’s defence counsel, Andrew Ince, emphasised that his lawsuit is presumed guiltless until proven guilty. He besides observed that Oregon instrumentality mostly allows bail successful astir cases and that nary peculiar question was made to unafraid Kumar’s release.Ince raised concerns astir the interaction of ICE custody connected the trial, stating that nether Oregon law, a proceedings successful superior transgression cases cannot proceed without the suspect being physically present. He besides said: "It’s inactive an unfastened case, truthful there’s not a batch that tin beryllium said arsenic acold arsenic determination making successful this case."He added that determination whitethorn beryllium thing preventing national authorities from deporting Kumar earlier the transgression lawsuit is resolved.
Eyewitness relationship and assemblage reaction
An eyewitness who was contiguous during Kumar’s apprehension described the acquisition arsenic shocking. Speaking anonymously, the idiosyncratic said: "That was conscionable a truly large daze of my beingness … I person nary connection for that moment." The man, a lawful imperishable resident, said helium was stopped by ICE officers portion Kumar was a rider successful his vehicle. He was aboriginal allowed to permission aft showing documentation.He said Kumar had been struggling emotionally aft his merchandise from jailhouse and described him arsenic 'losing hope' aft being taken into ICE custody.
He besides shared what Kumar told him astir the accident: "If the tribunal scope to a judgement similar he’s guilty, helium deserves to beryllium punished… idiosyncratic merit justice."He added: "Either Rajinder merit justice, either those hubby and wife… This is not justice."The incidental has besides created fearfulness among members of the tiny Indian migrant assemblage successful Bend. The antheral said: "We are each frightened close now, to beryllium honorable with you."
