Federal Authorities pause deportation to hold truck driver accountable for fatal Highway 20 crash in November 2025
By Mindy McKerrall on Wednesday, October 21st, 2026 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News Eastern/Southeast Oregon Top Stories
DESCHUTES COUNTY-A semi-truck driver charged in a double-fatal crash that killed a newlywed couple on Highway 20 last year is being handed back over to Oregon state authorities to face prosecution, federal immigration officials announced Friday.
Rajinder Kumar, 32, had been held in federal immigration custody since April. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed October 16 that he is being returned to Deschutes County to stand trial for his role in the fatal collision.
Kumar, an Indian national, faces two counts of first-degree manslaughter and three counts of reckless endangerment. The charges stem from a November 24, 2025, crash near Brothers, Oregon, about 80 miles west of Burns.
According to Oregon State Police, Kumar’s semi-truck was jackknifed across the roadway around 9:30 p.m. in pitch-black conditions. Investigators noted that a lack of emergency warning equipment likely contributed to the crash.
The collision claimed the lives of newlyweds William Micah Carter, 25, and Jennifer Lynn Lower, 24, who had been married for just over two weeks. The reckless endangerment charges relate to three other individuals involved in the incident — Colton Burkhart, Shelby Burkhart, and a third person identified in court filings only by initials.
Following his initial arrest, Kumar posted bail on April 2. ICE officers re-arrested him on April 22 in Bend after Deschutes County officials did not honor an immigration detainer. He was transferred to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington, where a federal immigration judge ordered his deportation in June.
However, immigration authorities recently placed his removal proceedings on hold so state criminal charges could proceed. Recent removals of detainee names from public online databases—part of a broader clearing of records reported by the Associated Press—had raised questions about his whereabouts before Friday’s announcement.
Last month, Deschutes County Circuit Court Judge Wells Ashby issued a $1 million warrant for Kumar after he failed to appear for a scheduled hearing, though the court recognized the absence was involuntary. “The federal government effectuated his removal from Oregon,” Judge Ashby noted at the time. “There’s no indication he willfully violated” his release conditions.
In a statement, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Seattle acting Field Office Director Julio S. Hernandez emphasized the coordination between agencies.
“Two Americans lost their lives, and their families deserve accountability,” Hernandez said. “ICE worked closely with law-enforcement partners to ensure Kumar is returned to state custody to answer for the serious charges against him. This coordinated action protects the public, supports the victims’ families, and ensures that an individual accused of these crimes does not evade justice.”
Federal officials stated that deportation proceedings will resume after the conclusion of Oregon’s criminal proceedings. Kumar’s trial in Deschutes County is scheduled for January 2027.
