Court convicts commercial driver Gurpreet Singh of driving in left lane; $150 fine ordered

A judge in Clayton County State Court found Gurpreet (also transcribed as Gupreet/Gurpreet Bajwa / Singh) guilty on Dec. 16, 2024, of operating a commercial vehicle in the left lane in violation of state traffic law, following testimony from a Clayton County police officer assigned to traffic enforcement.

Officer Ella Kurylova testified she observed an 18-wheeler traveling in the left lane on Forest Parkway, passing multiple intersections where a left-turn lane existed and not signaling or attempting to return to the right lane. Kurylova said she followed the truck for over a mile and, after activating her lights, the driver pulled into a truck stop where she issued a citation.

Singh told the court he had been exiting a warehouse area, had missed an intended turn because a parked truck blocked the smaller access, and then planned to use a nearby truck stop to reroute. Singh said he was in the left lane only because of on-street conditions, and he argued safety and GPS navigation concerns led him to the truck stop.

Judge Tammy Long Haywood reviewed the testimony and concluded the state proved the critical elements of the offense. The court found Singh guilty and ordered a $150 fine, giving Singh 60 days to pay. Singh told the court he had already paid the citation in hopes of avoiding administrative license action; the judge said any overpayment would be refunded by the clerk if the trial outcome required adjustment. The clerk will transmit the court’s disposition and payment instructions to Singh at the email he provided.