NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Bend, OR, April 2, 2026: A truck driver has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges stemming from a deadly crash in Deschutes County that killed two newlyweds late last year, as new details emerge about the circumstances of the incident.
Rajinder Kumar, 32, entered his plea on March 30, 2026, in Deschutes County court. He faces two counts of first-degree manslaughter and three misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment in connection with the November 24, 2025 crash.
According to the Oregon State Police, the crash occurred around 9:30 p.m. on Highway 20 near Brothers under “pitch black” conditions. Authorities said a semi-truck driven by Kumar had jackknifed on the roadway. Investigators noted a lack of emergency warning equipment at the scene, which they believe likely contributed to the collision.
The crash resulted in the deaths of William Micah Carter, 25, and Jennifer Lynn Lower, 24, a newly married couple. Three other individuals—identified as Colton and Shelby Burkhart and a third person listed in court records only by initials—were also placed at risk, leading to the reckless endangerment charges.
Additional information released by the Department of Homeland Security states that Kumar entered the United States in November 2022 near Lukeville, Arizona, close to the southern border. He was later issued a commercial driver’s license and work authorization in California in 2023. Prosecutors have also indicated that Kumar does not possess a passport.
Kumar is currently being held at the Deschutes County jail on $250,000 bail. If released, he would be required to wear a GPS monitoring device and remain within a five-mile radius of his residence.
By pleading not guilty, Kumar is contesting the charges, and the case is expected to proceed through the court system. Further hearings are likely to determine how the case moves forward, including whether it will go to trial.
