Indian charged in US car crash that killed his pregnant partner, fears deportation

An Indian national was charged in the United States in connection with a fatal high-speed car crash that killed his pregnant teenage partner and her unborn child in Ohio, as the victim's family has called for his deportation, according to a report by Newsweek.

Seventeen-year-old Ashlee Holmes was a passenger in a Range Rover Velar on February 16 when the vehicle failed to stop for law enforcement and a pursuit began, according to authorities. The Ohio State Highway Patrol crash report stated that the SUV was first clocked at 79 mph in a 55 mph zone before accelerating to more than 120 mph during the chase.

Officials said the driver lost control while negotiating a curve, crossed into oncoming traffic, struck a Jeep, and overturned multiple times. Holmes was ejected from the vehicle and suffered fatal injuries. Her unborn child also did not survive.

The accused, 33-year-old Tarsem Singh, an Indian national, has been indicted by a Darke County grand jury on charges including involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, and aggravated vehicular homicide. He is being held on a USD 1 million bond and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged a detainer against Singh, which could pave the way for deportation proceedings after the criminal case concludes. The Department of Homeland Security has said that he entered the US illegally in February 2017 through the southern border in California and was later released on bond by a judge.

A jury trial in the case is scheduled for August 17 to 21. Singh's attorney, Alex Pendl, has declined to comment on the pending proceedings.

Meanwhile, Holmes' family has said that Singh was the father of the unborn child and alleged Ashlee had attempted to leave the relationship multiple times.

Her mother, Annette Holmes, has backed Singh's deportation, saying no outcome can undo the loss.

"Nobody should ever deserve to die while pregnant with their first kid. I'm OK with him being kicked out of the country permanently. I don't want him in the States no more," she said while speaking to Newsweek.

She described her daughter as cheerful and deeply affectionate, even during difficult moments. "She was always outwardly happy even if she was having a bad day," she said.

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