Driver returned to Oregon for trial

Federal immigration authorities have transferred a commercial truck driver to Oregon state custody, clearing the path for a criminal trial in Deschutes County. The return of Rajinder Kumar, 32, follows a period of detention in Washington state and resolves a jurisdictional dispute between local and federal agencies.

Kumar faces two counts of first-degree manslaughter and three counts of recklessly endangering another person. The charges stem from a collision on U.S. Highway 20 that killed two young residents. He was taken into state custody on October 26, ending his federal detention at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington.

The fatal accident occurred on November 24, 2025. Records indicate that Kumar jackknifed his tractor-trailer, blocking both lanes of the highway. A Subaru Outback driven by William Micah Carter, 25, struck the semi. Carter and his wife, Jennifer Lynn Lower, 24, died at the scene. The couple had been married for 16 days at the time of the crash.

A video released by the ICE Victims of Immigrant Crime Engagement office shows Elizabeth Carter, the mother of the deceased driver, speaking to Kumar before the transfer. She addressed him at the passenger window of an ICE vehicle. Carter stated that she prays for Kumar and his family. She noted that she knew he did not wake up that morning planning to kill two newlyweds.

Kumar entered the United States on November 28, 2022, near Lukeville, Arizona. Border Patrol apprehended him but released him into the country pending removal proceedings. During that time, he received federal work authorization and obtained a commercial driver's license from California. A grand jury in Deschutes County indicted him in state court, where he pleaded not guilty.

A dispute arose after the initial arrest. ICE lodged an immigration detainer with Deschutes County Jail, requesting notification before Kumar's release. County corrections officials declined to honor the federal request on April 2. They released Kumar under Oregon state sanctuary policies. Federal agents arrested him again on April 22 while he was in the community.

ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Seattle handled the recent transfer. Acting Field Office Director Julio Hernandez stated that the families of the victims deserve accountability. He said the coordinated action supports the victims' families and ensures the accused does not evade justice. Homeland Security officials confirmed that federal deportation proceedings are paused until the state criminal trial concludes.

The transfer allows Oregon prosecutors to pursue the felony charges in Deschutes County Circuit Court. Kumar will remain in state custody for the duration of the criminal proceedings. Federal removal actions will resume after the state court issues its verdict.