FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) -- Florida officials are blaming California for licensing a truck driver accused in a deadly crash on Florida's Turnpike. But records and agency statements reviewed by CBS12 News show California followed federal and state law when it issued the license -- raising questions about whether the system itself, not one state, is at fault.
On August 12, investigators say 28-year-old Harjinder Singh made an illegal U-turn on Florida's Turnpike in Fort Pierce, blocking all northbound lanes.
The crash killed three people, including 30-year-old Herby Dufresne, a Haitian father who had entered the U.S. legally through a humanitarian parole program. Friends say he came seeking work to support his family, leaving behind four sisters, a mother in Haiti, and a 5-year-old daughter in the Dominican Republic.
"Herby was very hard worker, very, very hard worker. He loves life. He was full of life," said Livenson Pierre, a friend of the victim. "His family is completely devastated."
Body camera video from New Mexico shows Singh speaking broken English to a state trooper just weeks before the crash.
After the fatal wreck, Singh reportedly scored two out of 12 on an English proficiency test. Yet he held valid commercial driver's licenses in California and Washington.
That's prompted outrage from Florida leaders.
"Three lives lost because of Gavin Newsom, because of California's failed policies. We're done with that [expletive]," Lt. Gov. Jay Collins said at an August press conference.
Governor Ron DeSantis argued federal law requires commercial drivers to both be in the U.S. legally and demonstrate English proficiency.
"You're not allowed to issue a CDL to somebody who is not in this country legally," DeSantis said. "You're not allowed to issue a CDL to somebody who is not capable of understanding traffic signs and have an ability to communicate."
But California officials say they followed every rule.
In a statement to CBS12 News, the Department of Motor Vehicles said:
California followed all federal and state laws in reviewing and granting Mr. Harjinder Singh a California commercial driver's license. Ensuring that drivers licensed in California know the rules of the road and operate their vehicles safely is the DMV's top priority. The department does this through a series of prudent steps throughout the licensing process for individuals getting their California Class C and/or CDL.
The DMV added that federal law sets commercial driver licensing standards, requiring behind-the-wheel tests to be conducted in English. Because states follow federal rules, licenses are recognized across state lines.
California law also requires applicants to "read and understand simple English used in highway traffic and directional signs."
The federal government confirmed Singh's legal presence through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system, and his CDL was issued as a Real ID, according to the DMV.
See also: 'Operation Trackside': 17 arrested in drug bust across Palm Beach and Broward Counties
Meanwhile, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced California, Washington, and New Mexico could lose federal highway safety funds unless they enforce English Language Proficiency rules for truck drivers. The states have less than 30 days to comply or risk losing up to 100% of their Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program funding.
"States don't get to pick and choose which federal safety rules to follow," Duffy said. "As we saw with the horrific Florida crash that killed three, when states fail to enforce the law, they put the driving public in danger."
Federal investigators found California was the worst offender: roughly 34,000 inspections this summer resulted in just one driver being removed for an English violation. At least 23 drivers flagged in other states for failing English standards were later inspected in California -- but allowed to keep driving.
Washington and New Mexico also reported few or no drivers removed for English violations during the same period.
Singh faces felony charges of vehicular homicide and manslaughter, crimes that could keep him behind bars for decades.
Speaking on Singh's behalf, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun -- general counsel for the advocacy group Sikhs for Justice, which has rallied supporters outside the St. Lucie County Jail -- read a statement of remorse.
"When I held the hand of the minivan driver, I wished I could have held on to his life and never see anyone lose their life in this tragic accident," Singh wrote.
Pannun emphasized that Singh was devastated by the crash, though he is not part of Singh's legal defense in court.
Still, Florida officials say compassion cannot erase the damage.
"How heartbreaking is that? That's someone's son, daughter, family. They're lost, they're gone forever," Collins said in an exclusive interview with CBS12 News.
CBS12 News also reached out to the California Highway Patrol, which said it has no updates, and to Governor Gavin Newsom's office, which has not yet responded.