Families seek ‘answers’ after accused truck driver in fatal OR crash now in ICE custody

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A truck driver accused of killing Springfield honeymooners in a crash last year is now in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Now the families of the newlyweds want him to be released from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security so he can go to trial. "It's unbelievably difficult to mourn your child in those kind of circumstances while also fighting a political battle," said Elizabeth Carter. She and Dennis Carter say their son William, 'Billy' was a shy person, but when he met Jenny, it was love at first sight. "Suddenly, we get to watch our son blossom. You just became a whole person right in front of our eyes. We get to watch him fall in love," Elizabeth said. "It was a whirlwind romance." It didn't take long for the lovebird to tie the knot in the fall of last year. Days after the wedding, the newlyweds drove back to Oregon from Idaho. Then tragedy struck after they hit a semi truck that was stopped in a jackknifed position on Highway 20. "The last time I saw my son was at his wedding reception," Elizabeth said with tears in her eyes. "We couldn't have an open casket funeral. We couldn't see either him or Jenny after the accident because they were both unrecognizable." The driver of the truck, 32-year-old Rajinder Kumar, was arrested and is facing a number of charges, including manslaughter. As Kumar was waiting for his trial, set for next January, he made bail. However, once he was released, he was detained by ICE and is being held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington, awaiting "removal proceedings" according to the DHS website. "We are grateful to our ICE law enforcement officers who tracked this killer down to ensure he's permanently removed from America's highways and can never harm another American family again," said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. "I don't see how giving him a free plane ride back to his family in India, back to a life where from day one, he can choose what he wants to do and when he wants to do it," said Elizabeth. "But Billy and Jenny don't have that choice." Billy and Jenny's parents fear if Kumar is deported back to his home county, he won't go to trial for their couple's death, leaving them with questions about the accident. "I'd like to have the answers, not just have him kicked out of the country without either him getting a chance to defend himself, or the district attorney getting a chance to speak for Billy and Jenny," Elizabeth explained.  Kumar has a federal hearing next week. KOIN 6 News reached out to ICE, Kumar's attorneys and the Deschutes DA, and are waiting on their responses.