Father speaks out after ICE arrest in 18-wheeler crash that left 5-year-old Dalilah with life‑altering injuries
WASHINGTON (High Desert News Online) – On June 20, 2024, a multi-vehicle pileup in California caused by an 18-wheeler driven by Partap Singh left 5-year-old Dalilah Coleman with catastrophic, life‑altering injuries; Singh is now in ICE custody as the family seeks accountability.
- Driver in ICE custody: DHS statement and NDTV report the arrest.
- Severe victim outcomes: Five‑year‑old Dalilah sustained catastrophic, permanent injuries and will require lifelong care (NDTV; MENAFN).
- Licensing and policy questions: Reports say Singh held a California commercial CDL despite immigration status, prompting scrutiny of DMV checks and sanctuary-state limits (NDTV; DHS).
Background of the incident
On June 20, 2024, highway crews were working in a construction zone when an 18-wheeler driven by Partap Singh entered at speed and failed to stop for slowing traffic, according to a California Highway Patrol crash report cited in news accounts (MENAFN). The tractor-trailer struck multiple vehicles in a chain reaction, leaving a stretch of highway strewn with wreckage and forcing emergency crews to respond for hours. Several people were injured and taken to area hospitals (MENAFN; NDTV).
How Singh entered the U.S. and licensing questions
Reporting and an official DHS statement say Singh crossed the southern border in October 2022 and was released into the U.S. under prevailing immigration procedures. While his case was pending or after release, Singh reportedly obtained a California commercial driver’s license that allowed operation of a large commercial vehicle, prompting scrutiny of state DMV procedures and immigration checks (NDTV; MENAFN).
Sanctuary policies and federal response
California is frequently described as a “sanctuary state” because state law and local policies limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Federal officials, including DHS, cited that environment when highlighting the case as an example of how certain policies can hinder immigration enforcement efforts, a framing central to public debate and the family’s appeals for change (DHS).
Details of the crash and emergency response
The pileup involved multiple passenger vehicles and the tractor-trailer driven by Singh. First responders airlifted the most seriously injured, including five‑year‑old Dalilah, to regional trauma centers. Dalilah’s stepfather, Michael Krause, was hospitalized. Several other occupants received treatment for injuries ranging from moderate to severe. The CHP report cited dangerous speed and failure to slow for a work zone as contributing factors (MENAFN; NDTV).
Impact on Dalilah and her family
Hospital records and family accounts describe long, painful care for Dalilah. She spent weeks in a coma and months hospitalized. Surgeons performed a craniectomy and she lived for months without that portion of her skull replaced. Medical evaluations list severe, permanent injuries including diplegic cerebral palsy, global developmental delay, a broken femur and skull fractures; the family reports she cannot walk, talk or eat by mouth and will require lifelong therapies and care, preventing her from attending kindergarten as planned (MENAFN; NDTV).
Legal status and Partap Singh in ICE custody
Federal immigration officials state Singh remains in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody and faces immigration proceedings. DHS issued a statement on Sept. 25, 2025, after Marcus Coleman spoke publicly about his daughter’s injuries; the agency framed the arrest and detention as a public‑safety matter and used the case to argue for stricter immigration controls and enhanced cooperation with state and local authorities (DHS).
Public reaction and statements
Marcus Coleman has given interviews and told federal officials he wants accountability, describing the sudden loss of his daughter’s health and the permanent change to their family’s life in public remarks cited by DHS. The story has drawn national and international coverage, including reporting by NDTV, PTI and Daijiworld, amplifying the family’s calls for policy change (DHS).
Investigative questions raised
- License issuance: How did Singh obtain a commercial CDL despite immigration status? What proof and checks did the California DMV require? (NDTV).
- Sanctuary policy effects: Did sanctuary policies prevent timely federal notification or action that might have limited Singh’s access to a commercial license? (DHS).
- Carrier and safety factors: What role did driver training, employer oversight, vehicle maintenance or fatigue play? Official crash reports and employer records could clarify causation (MENAFN; NDTV).
Sources and reporting
Key source material includes the official DHS statement (Sept. 25, 2025), contemporaneous reporting by NDTV, a California crash summary cited in MENAFN, and additional coverage from PTI and Daijiworld. These items, plus CHP records and hospital accounts, form the core factual record.
Implications for The High Desert, California
Economic impact: The High Desert sits near major freight routes and depends on commercial trucking for goods and jobs. The crash underscores the need for strict licensing and oversight to protect commerce and public safety; local carriers and shippers could face increased audits and insurance scrutiny.
Political consequences: The incident may intensify debate over California’s sanctuary policies and information‑sharing between state and federal agencies. Local officials may be pressured to demand clearer rules on how immigration status intersects with commercial licensing.
Social effects: Families may fear similar roadway dangers and worry about emergency response capacity. The long-term care needs of a child like Dalilah illustrate the heavy human costs of catastrophic crashes.
Practical steps for residents: Drivers should be alert in work zones; employers and trucking firms should review CDL verification, hiring practices and driver logs; schools and pediatric providers may prepare outreach for families needing long-term support.
What local leaders can do now
- Ask the state DMV for clarity and audits on how commercial licenses were issued.
- Review law‑enforcement protocols for reporting suspected immigration issues when public safety is at risk.
- Coordinate public health and social services to support families facing long‑term medical needs.
Ongoing reporting
This story is developing as federal immigration proceedings and any criminal or civil investigations continue. Readers should monitor the DHS statement and updates from local agencies; the CHP crash report and hospital records will be key to future reporting (NDTV; MENAFN).
“I want accountability,” Marcus Coleman told federal officials and reporters as he described the life‑altering injuries to his daughter and the family’s suffering (DHS).
Reporting and source links referenced in this article: DHS statement; NDTV; MENAFN; PTI; Daijiworld.
