Illegal Semi Swerves HEAD-ON Killing Four

A Biden-era phone-app “parole” system helped put an unvetted commercial truck driver on an Indiana highway—ending in four Amish deaths and a federal crackdown.

Quick Take

A February 3, 2026 head-on crash in Jay County, Indiana killed four Amish community members after a semi crossed into oncoming traffic.
Authorities identified the truck driver as Bekzhan Beishekeev, a 30-year-old illegal immigrant from Kyrgyzstan who entered via the CBP One app and was paroled in 2024.
Pennsylvania issued Beishekeev a commercial driver’s license in July 2025, raising new scrutiny about verification standards for CDLs.
ICE lodged a detainer, then took Beishekeev into custody as the crash investigation and immigration proceedings continue.
USDOT moved to shut down multiple carriers and revoke a CDL school’s certification tied to the driver, while a nationwide CDL audit proceeds.

What Happened on State Road 67—and What Investigators Say Caused It

Indiana State Police and local agencies are reconstructing a February 3, 2026 collision on State Road 67 near County Road 550 East in Jay County. Reporting based on law-enforcement accounts says the driver of a 2022 Freightliner semi failed to brake for a slowed semi ahead, swerved into the westbound lane, and struck a 2011 Chevrolet van head-on. Four people from the Amish community were killed, with the driver’s actions at the center of the investigation.

Authorities identified the deceased as Henry Eicher (50), Menno Eicher (25), Paul Eicher (19), and Simon Girod (23). Those names turned an abstract policy fight into a real, local tragedy for a tight-knit faith community near Indiana’s Ohio border. Some early reporting described the van as carrying 15 passengers, while other reporting described six occupants; officials have not fully reconciled that discrepancy in the public reporting available so far, so final occupancy should be confirmed by the completed investigation.

CBP One, Parole, and the Paper Trail Behind the Driver’s Presence

Federal officials say Beishekeev entered the United States on December 19, 2024 using the CBP One mobile application at the Nogales, Arizona port of entry and received parole under Biden-era policy. That distinction matters because “parole” is not the same as lawful permanent status, yet it can still place individuals into the country pending further proceedings. The White House spotlighted this case, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt publicly criticizing CBP One as an easy “pass” into the U.S.

DHS officials also emphasized the downstream consequence: the driver later obtained a commercial driver’s license, putting him in control of a large vehicle on public roads. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the driver was released into the country through CBP One and then issued a CDL by Pennsylvania, calling those choices deadly. The research available does not include independent expert testimony on licensing best practices, but it does document federal concern that vetting and verification failed at multiple steps.

ICE Detainer, Custody, and the Dual Track of Criminal and Immigration Proceedings

Reporting says ICE issued an immigration detainer after the crash while Beishekeev was held at Jay County Jail, and he was then taken into ICE custody on February 5, 2026. That sequence signals two parallel tracks: state-level criminal accountability tied to the crash, and federal immigration enforcement tied to unlawful presence and removability. What remains unclear in public reporting is the full charging posture and timeline for court proceedings, because the investigation is still being completed by the critical-incident reconstruction team.

USDOT’s Enforcement Moves: Carriers Shut Down and a CDL School Targeted

On February 13, 2026, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced enforcement actions tied to the case: Beishekeev’s employer AJ Partners was placed out of service, along with two carriers connected to it—Tutash Express and Sam Express. USDOT also revoked the certification of Aydana CDL School, which authorities say facilitated the driver’s license acquisition. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy framed the action as the opening phase of a broader push, saying the crackdown was “just getting started.”

For voters who have watched years of “process over protection,” the policy lesson is straightforward: when immigration shortcuts and weak verification meet heavy equipment and public highways, ordinary families pay the price. The federal audit of state CDL issuance now becomes the practical test—whether Washington and the states tighten documentation checks and oversight of schools and carriers without burying lawful drivers and small businesses in pointless red tape. The public still lacks full investigative findings, but the enforcement response is already reshaping the debate.