Garbage Truck Driver Charged In Chain Reaction Long Island Crash Killing 24-Year-Old

A sanitation truck driver is facing homicide charges after allegedly causing a chain reaction crash on Long Island that killed a 24-year-old man.

Jaswinder Singh, age 52, of Bellerose, was arraigned on criminally negligent homicide and related charges in Suffolk County Court on Friday, May 3, in the death of Joseph Kelly.

According to prosecutors, Singh was driving a garbage truck from Brooklyn to a business in Suffolk County on the morning of July 3, 2023, when he got off the Long Island Expressway at Exit 57 in Hauppauge.

He allegedly continued driving at a high rate of speed despite approaching a line of cars stopped for a red light at the intersection of Express Drive South and Long Island Motor Parkway.

An investigation found that Singh made no attempt to slow down before his 19-ton truck slammed into the back of Kelly’s Honda Civic. Kelly, of West Islip, was killed instantly.

In all, the crash damaged five vehicles including a school bus and left a debris field of nearly 300 feet.

“This defendant… had a responsibility to drive prudently and cautiously,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney. “Today’s indictment reflects the solemn duty of law enforcement to hold individuals accountable for their actions, particularly if their alleged crime results in the loss of life.”

Singh is charged with the following crimes:

• Criminally negligent homicide (felony)
• Two counts of assault (misdemeanors)
• Reckless driving (misdemeanor)
• Speeding not reasonable and prudent (infraction)

Following his arraignment, a judge ordered Singh to surrender his passport, placed him on supervised release, and suspended his driver’s license.

He is due back in court on Friday, May 17.