Commercial truck driver charged with negligent homicide after fatal crash in Yellowstone County

BILLINGS - The driver of a commercial vehicle involved in a tragic incident on Interstate 90 that resulted in the death of a Laurel man is facing charges. Sarbjeet Parmar, a 39-year-old resident of Buckey, Wash., has been accused of negligent homicide and five counts of felony criminal endangerment. He was set to appear in court for an arraignment on Monday afternoon. Records show that Parmar was driving a commercial vehicle with a trailer on December 22, 2024, when the vehicle veered into the median at mile marker 431 around 4 p.m., flipped onto its side, and crossed into oncoming traffic lanes. This led to collisions with a Volkswagen and a Chevrolet Suburban. The Suburban driver, Kevin Wilkerson, 56, of Laurel, tragically lost his life in the crash. Three other Suburban passengers and two Volkswagen occupants sustained injuries. Wilkerson, a retired Coast Guard veteran and highly regarded volunteer firefighter and EMT in Joliet, was among the victims. Investigations by the Montana Highway Patrol revealed that Parmar had tampered with the Electronic Logbook Device in his vehicle, which should have documented his rest periods. This manipulation allegedly led to a breach of mandatory off-duty hours during the trip. Initially blaming wind conditions for the incident, Parmar's claim was dismissed during the investigation, which pointed to signs of drowsy driving as the likely cause of the accident.