Published 9:23 am Monday, October 19, 2026

Rajinder Kumar, the Indian-born man charged with manslaughter after a Highway 20 crash last November left two dead and held in ICE custody for months under threat of deportation, has been brought back to Deschutes County for trial.

Kumar, 32, was booked in the Deschutes County Jail at 11:50 p.m. Thursday by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations. His trial is set for January.

“We are grateful that it now appears we’ll be able to proceed to trial in January as scheduled,” said Deschutes County District Attorney Steve Gunnels Monday.

“Two Americans lost their lives, and their families deserve accountability. ICE worked closely with law-enforcement partners to ensure Kumar is returned to state custody to answer for the serious charges against him,” said ICE ERO Seattle acting Field Office Director Julio S. Hernandez in a press release.…