In a tragic incident on an Indiana highway, a semi-truck driver accused of running a red light has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), raising questions about road safety and immigration enforcement in the Midwest. The crash, which occurred in Hendricks County just west of Indianapolis, claimed the life of a 64-year-old local man and has sparked calls for stricter oversight of commercial drivers.
The accident took place around noon on February 18, 2026, at the intersection of U.S. 36 and County Road 525 East. According to authorities, 25-year-old Sukhdeep Singh was driving a Freightliner semi-truck with a trailer eastbound when he allegedly ran a red light and collided with a northbound Chevrolet pickup truck. The impact caused the Chevrolet, driven by Terry Schultz of Coatesville, Indiana, to cross the median and strike a Chrysler vehicle in the left turn lane. Schultz was pronounced dead at the scene, while no other injuries were reported.
Indiana State Police arrested Singh at the scene, and he was subsequently taken into ICE custody due to his immigration status. Federal sources confirmed that Singh, an Indian national, entered the United States illegally in 2018 as a minor and was released under policies at the time. He had been living in New Palestine, Indiana, after previously residing in New York, and obtained a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in the state in May 2025.
Court records reveal Singh’s history of traffic violations in Indiana since 2022, including three speeding tickets for exceeding limits by significant margins: 89 mph in a 70 mph zone, 76 mph in a 55 mph zone, and 74 mph in a 55 mph zone. He also received citations for no registration and, most recently in January 2026, for lacking proper insurance following a separate car crash. As of now, no criminal charges have been filed in Hendricks County related to the fatal incident, and the investigation by the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office continues to determine if factors like speed, drugs, or alcohol were involved.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) highlighted the risks associated with undocumented individuals operating large vehicles. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated, “It is incredibly dangerous for illegal aliens, who often do not know our traffic laws or even English, to be operating semi-trucks on America’s roads. These tragedies are 100 percent preventable and we pray for the family and victim.” This crash follows another recent incident in Indiana where an undocumented semi-truck driver was involved in a collision that killed four people, underscoring ongoing concerns about highway safety.
U.S. Senator Jim Banks of Indiana expressed outrage and called for federal action, saying, “How many times are we going to see this same story happen again? This is not bad luck. This is not just another accident. This is a national crisis! I am sick of it. We need real accountability and a major overhaul.” Banks announced plans to introduce legislation aimed at removing unsafe and undocumented drivers from the roads and launched a tipline for reporting concerns about carriers employing illegal immigrants.
For residents in south central Ohio, this incident serves as a reminder of the shared roadways in the Midwest and the importance of vigilant enforcement of traffic and immigration laws to prevent similar tragedies on highways connecting our states. Local authorities in Ohio continue to monitor cross-border traffic issues, emphasizing safety for all drivers.
