TACOMA, WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a semi-truck driver on April 22, 2026, who is charged with killing two newlyweds in a jackknife crash on a Oregon highway in November 2025 — weeks after Oregon authorities declined to cooperate with an ICE detainer request and released him back into the community.
Rajinder Kumar is now being held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma and has been placed in removal proceedings.
The Crash
On November 24, 2025, Kumar jackknifed his semi-truck and trailer on U.S. Highway 20 in Deschutes County, Oregon, blocking both lanes of the highway. A Subaru Outback collided with the semi. Both occupants — William Micah Carter and Jennifer Lynn Lower — were killed. The couple had been married for just 16 days.
Kumar was charged in connection with the crash. He has a trial scheduled for January 2027.
The Release and Arrest
On April 2, 2026, Oregon authorities declined to cooperate with ICE and released Kumar back into the community. Twenty days later, on April 22, ICE agents located and arrested him.
According to DHS, Kumar entered the United States illegally near Lukeville, Arizona on November 28, 2022. He subsequently received work authorization and was issued a commercial driver’s license by California.
DHS Statement
“This illegal alien was issued a CDL by California. He then went on to recklessly drive a truck on America’s highways and kill two honeymooners. Instead of cooperating with ICE law enforcement, Oregon sanctuary politicians released him from jail back into American communities,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “Every time sanctuary politicians release a dangerous criminal illegal alien back into our communities, they are gambling with American lives. We are grateful to our ICE law enforcement officers who tracked this killer down to ensure he’s permanently removed from America’s highways and can never harm another American family again.”
Victims of immigration crime may contact the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office at 1-855-488-6423.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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