LANCASTER, PA — In a sobering conclusion to a tragic event, Jagminder Singh, a 43-year-old man from Floral Park, New York, has been sentenced to serve 7 to 20 years in prison after causing a crash that resulted in the deaths of two individuals. The collision, which occurred on Interstate 76 in Brecknock Township in December 2022, claimed the lives of Nubia Llivipuma, 45, and Mariana Llivipuma, 39, from Santa Isabel Canton, Ecuador.
On April 17, 2024, Singh entered a guilty plea to multiple charges, including two counts of homicide by vehicle while under the influence (DUI), in a negotiated agreement with prosecutors. The comprehensive list of charges also encompassed two counts of homicide by vehicle, five counts of DUI, one count of aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, an additional count of aggravated assault by vehicle, four counts of recklessly endangering another person, and three summary offenses.
Assistant District Attorney Caitlin Blazier, who prosecuted the case, emphasized the peril Singh’s actions posed to all individuals on I-76 that fateful night. Lancaster County Judge Thomas Sponaugle, reflecting on the incident before accepting the plea, lamented the senseless loss of life attributable to the inability to exercise self-control.
Details from the Pennsylvania State Police recount the events leading to the tragedy. On December 23, 2022, around 9:31 p.m., authorities received reports of a tractor-trailer traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of I-76 near mile marker 286 in East Cocalico Township. Minutes later, the errant tractor-trailer collided with a Ford F-250 and a Toyota Corolla near mile marker 291.2 in Brecknock Township. The occupants of the Ford F-250 were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third victim sustained injuries and was transported to a local hospital.
Subsequent investigations revealed Singh had methamphetamine and a blood alcohol level of 0.048% at the time of the accident. For commercial drivers, the legal limit is notably lower, set at 0.04%. The investigation concluded that Singh was impaired to a degree that compromised his ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, and no other factors such as road conditions, environmental issues, or mechanical failures contributed to the crash.
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