New York:
A 22-year-old Indian-origin man has been arrested in the US for alleged drunk driving which caused a horrific accident that killed three people, including a pregnant woman, and could face up to 50 years in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors say Bhavuk Uppal of Mountain Lakes was allegedly drunk as he drove through a construction zone on I-80 highway that runs from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey just after 1:30 am on Saturday.
Mr Uppal was driving in a Cadillac Escalade and allegedly rear-ended a Kia, which then crashed into an SUV. The Kia burst into flames, killing a young mother who was pregnant, her husband and their infant child in the backseat.
Two other people inside the car were treated for injuries. Mr Uppal now faces three counts of death by auto, two counts of assault by auto and driving while intoxicated.
According to Morris County prosecutors, Mr Uppal has a long history of motor vehicle violations.
"He has infractions for speeding, unsafe driving, driving without a license, fictitious plates, reckless driving, driving while suspended, and he has been involved in multiple crashes," Prosecutor Matthew Brown said.
The three dead individuals were still to be identified.
Mr Uppal was jailed on Saturday on $300,000 bail, which was raised to $750,000 after a bail hearing in Morris County Superior Court on Monday, according to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.
Mr Uppal was charged with three counts of death by auto and two counts of assault by auto along with driving while intoxicated. At the time of the incident, Mr Uppal was driving with a suspended license.
Under the current charges, which include three counts of death by auto and two counts of assault by auto, Mr Uppal faces up to 50 years in prison if convicted.
According to nj.com, Mr Uppal's prior criminal history includes six arrests in six years ranging from theft to failure to turn over a controlled dangerous substance to police.