A Punjabi asylum seeker who killed a 23-year-old woman in a fatal truck accident was handed a mere 55-day jail sentence and a light fine by a Caledon court, sparking outrage from the victim’s loved ones and advocates.
Rajwinder Singh, 43, pleaded guilty on October 15, 2025, to killing Adrianna Milena McCauley in a fatal four-vehicle collision in Bolton, Ontario, on September 10, 2024. Singh drove into an intersection approximately 10 seconds after the traffic light had turned red.
The court could not provide a “definitive answer” as to what caused Singh to run the red light, noting that weather and visibility were “not factors” as the roads were dry and clear.
A local news outlet, the Caledon Enterprise, detailed the court decision, reporting that Justice of the Peace Marsha Farnand sentenced Singh to a 55-day custodial term, 24 months of probation, a three-year driving suspension and a $1,000 fine.
The court adjusted Singh’s fine due to his “financial instability” from losing his job. He was ordered to attend counselling and rehabilitation to address the “psychological toll” the incident had on him.
Farnand cited Singh’s “elevated duty of care as a commercial driver” and the duration he had remained at the red light as factors in the sentencing, the report stated. She deemed the jail sentence necessary for “denunciation and deterrence.”
Singh’s defence lawyer, Bally Hundal, cited Singh’s status as an asylum seeker with a wife and two children and claimed the incident had an “enormous psychological toll” on Singh due to the “weight of the tragedy.” The local report noted Singh addressed the court through “a Punjabi translator” to apologize and ask for the family’s forgiveness.
The Caledon Community Road Safety Advocacy Group released a statement Tuesday, saying the decision did not deliver justice for McCauley and was not an adequate sentence for someone who carelessly took a young woman’s life. The group stated the outcome “doesn’t reflect accountability, deterrence or public safety.”
“Adrianna should still be here today. This tragedy was completely preventable. She did nothing wrong. She was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time when a commercial truck driver ran a red light and took her life,” the group said on Instagram.
“The driver, who was identified in court as an asylum seeker working as a commercial truck driver, is now on government assistance. Meanwhile, Adrianna’s family has been sentenced to a lifetime of grief, loss, and unanswered questions.”