Driver in Fatal Eight-Car Ontario Freeway Crash Sentenced to Four Years and Eight Months in Prison

ONTARIO, CA — The driver who pleaded guilty in a deadly eight-car crash on the 10 Freeway in Ontario was sentenced to four years and eight months in state prison. Prosecutors said the October 2025 collision killed three people and injured four others after a semitruck slammed into slowed traffic on the westbound lanes.

Authorities identified the driver as Jashanpreet Singh, who changed his plea from not guilty to guilty during a hearing last month before sentencing. The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office said the case ended with Friday’s prison term.

Crash Details and Toll

Investigators said Singh was driving a semi-truck that struck seven vehicles in all, including three other semitrucks, two pickup trucks and two cars. The impact set off a chain-reaction collision that left the freeway scene heavily damaged.

A witness described hearing what sounded like a large explosion as a red semitruck came barreling down the roadway before the impact. The California Highway Patrol said traffic had slowed just before the crash, but the truck did not stop.

Witness Account in Court

Jason Calmelat told reporters that the truck did not swerve or try to avoid the stopped traffic. He said it “just went straight in,” before rolling, veering right and ending up in an embankment.

Calmelat also said he saw the truck’s driver jump out after it caught fire. His account matched the description authorities gave of the violent collision on the freeway.

Families Attend Sentencing

Family members of the people who died were present in the courtroom when the sentence was imposed. One of the families delivered a statement during the hearing, according to the report.

The sentencing closed a case that drew attention because of the scale of the crash and the number of vehicles involved on one of Southern California’s busiest freeways.

Background On Driver

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Singh is a 21-year-old undocumented immigrant from India who first entered the United States through the southern border in 2022. Those details were included in the reporting surrounding the case.

The crash and sentencing took place in San Bernardino County, with the freeway collision happening in Ontario on the 10 Freeway in October 2025.

TNSO covers California, Nevada, and Arizona as the story unfolds.