MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A New York truck driver has been charged with negligent homicide in connection with a fatal crash that happened on the I-68 Cheat Lake Bridge near Morgantown during the Jan. 19 snowstorm.
Investigators with the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department allege Sukhjinder Singh caused the death of Kevin C. Lataille, 59, of Smithfield, Pennsylvania when his tractor trailer jackknifed in the eastbound lanes. Lataille’s car plunged off the bridge and into the lake.
Deputies said Singh was traveling at an unsafe speed despite hazardous road conditions. Witness testimony also described Singh’s driving as reckless and even criminal. Investigators also confirmed that Singh’s tractor had struck another vehicle prior to reaching the bridge and failed to stop.
“He had another encounter with another tractor-trailer at the 7 mile marker where he failed to stop and continued down the road,” Monongalia County Sheriff Todd Forbes said Monday on MetroNews “Talkline.” ” He was driving at what we feel like was an irresponsible speed for the road conditions.”
Further examination of Lataille’s vehicle confirmed damage consistent with a collision involving Singh’s tractor, specifically at the driver’s side rear of Lataille’s car. This impact ultimately sent the vehicle off the bridge and into Cheat Lake.
“The only explanation for some of the damage was damage from the truck,” Forbes said. ” Also, we had some video early on that indicated the two were connected.”
Singh told deputies he lost control of the tractor-trailer due to heavy snow and high winds at the time.
Forbes said it took investigators time to determine what company Singh was driving for.
“We’ve had a little bit of a holdup as far as having communications with the driver and the company,” Forbes said.” “We were finally able to do that late last week and we had have an interpreter to have communications.”
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Sukhjinder Singh for negligent homicide and more charges could be filed at a later date. Deputies said the charges are backed up by surveillance video from the area that showed a large vehicle sliding on the bridge, throwing snow into the air, and a separate passenger vehicle falling from the bridge into the lake.
According to Forbes, Singh was in California Friday and they are working on an extradition plan.
“It’s going to be a matter of picking him up out there,” Forbes said. “We know where he was Friday, bit that was three days ago so it’s probably going to be harder to track him down now.”
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the sheriff’s department at 304-291-7260.
The Monongalia County Prosecutor’s Office is working the case.