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Florida Car Hauler Driver Who Vanished in Suspected Hijacking Found Dead in Georgia — Family Notified by FBI

By
Kristina
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BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA — Alejandro Jacomino Gonzalez, 41, the Cuban-born truck driver who disappeared from a Florida rest area on April 17 in what the FBI described as a suspicious disappearance possibly linked to a hijacking, has been found dead in Georgia, according to his family.

Gonzalez’s cousin, Juan Carlos Forcade, told local media that the FBI contacted Gonzalez’s wife on April 28 and informed her that her husband’s body had been recovered in Georgia. The FBI has not yet issued an official statement confirming the death. Details about how he died were not immediately available.

What Happened

On April 16, Gonzalez picked up a load of multiple vehicles from the Port of Brunswick in Georgia and departed southbound toward Miami, where the vehicles were scheduled for delivery. At approximately 1:21 a.m. on April 17, he stopped at the Brevard County Rest Area off I-95 South near Grant-Valkaria, Florida, where he rested for several hours.

At approximately 7:49 a.m., the GPS on his truck showed it traveling south one exit before turning around and heading north toward Jacksonville. Shortly after, Gonzalez stopped responding and the truck was reported missing.

Later on April 17, the truck was recovered in Port Wentworth, Georgia — but Gonzalez was not inside. Several vehicles from his load were also missing. Since then, three of the missing vehicles have been recovered in Florida. Others remain missing.

The Search

On April 24, the FBI’s Tampa Division issued a missing person alert for Gonzalez and called on the public for photo and video evidence from the Brevard County Rest Area between 1 a.m. and 8 a.m. on April 17 — specifically from the southern portion of the rest area near the ramp leading back onto I-95 South. The FBI described his disappearance as suspicious and said he may have been the victim of a hijacking.

Gonzalez was described as a Hispanic male, 41 years old, 5 feet 11 inches tall, bald with a brown beard and mustache, with a full sleeve tattoo on his left arm and a tattoo of the name “Elisia” on his right forearm. He was originally from Cuba and spoke both English and Spanish.

Anyone with information is still asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.

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Iowa State Patrol Shares ‘Eye-Opening’ Equipment Violation Photos as Roadcheck 2026 Is Two Weeks Away — Urges CMV Drivers to Fix Issues Before Hitting the Road: “Fix It in Your Yard, Not on the Side of the Highway”

By
Kristina
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IOWA — The Iowa State Patrol Commercial Motor Vehicle Unit is urging truck drivers to stay on top of maintenance after sharing photos of severe equipment defects discovered during recent commercial vehicle inspections across the state.

Iowa State Patrol

“A few eye-opening photos from CMV inspections around Iowa lately. While we know some issues pop up without warning, many of these have been developing for quite some time. Out-of-service violations are always cheaper and easier to fix in your own yard rather than roadside!” ISP said in an April 28 post.

Iowa State Patrol
ISP
ISP

The reminder comes at a critical time. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s International Roadcheck inspection and enforcement campaign runs May 12-14, 2026, across North America. This year’s vehicle focus area is cargo securement and inspectors will also be paying close attention to ELD tampering. Drivers and carriers can expect heightened scrutiny during that three-day window.

ISP

ISP’s message to truckers is straightforward — catching and fixing defects before hitting the road is always less costly and less disruptive than being placed out of service on the side of a highway.

ISP

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Semi-Truck Driver Killed in Single-Vehicle Crash on I-65 Near Pine Level, Alabama

By
Kristina
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AUTAUGA COUNTY, ALABAMA — A semi-truck driver died Sunday morning after a single-vehicle crash on northbound Interstate 65 near mile marker 189.

Pine Level firefighters responded at 10:53 a.m. on April 27 and found the semi-tractor trailer with significant damage. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Lane closures remained in effect until approximately 2:00 p.m.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the Autauga County Coroner’s Office are handling the investigation. No further details have been released.

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CHP Finds Worn Brake Hose Causing Air Leak Between Tractor and Trailer — Driver Placed Out of Service, Pre-Trip Inspection Would Have Caught It

By
Kristina
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0

CALIFORNIA — A recent California Highway Patrol commercial vehicle inspection found a coiled brake hose with a worn-through spring guard between the truck-tractor and trailer, causing an air leak and resulting in an out-of-service order.

CHP noted that a thorough pre-trip inspection would have caught the defect before the driver ever left the lot — preventing both the out-of-service order and the safety hazard on the road. A damaged brake hose causing an air leak directly compromises the vehicle’s braking system, posing a serious risk to the driver and other motorists.

CHP used the find as a reminder that pre-trip inspections are not optional — they are the first line of defense against mechanical failures on the road.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Tractor-Trailer Carrying 40,000 Pounds of Chicken Crashes and Catches Fire on I-65 North in Tennessee

By
Kristina
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40,000 Pounds of Chicken Burned

SUMNER COUNTY, TENNESSEE — A tractor-trailer hauling 40,000 pounds of chicken crashed and caught fire on northbound Interstate 65 near mile marker 100 in Goodlettsville early Wednesday morning, closing the highway and threatening to impact morning rush hour traffic.

Tennessee Department of Transportation reported that all crashed materials have been moved into a dumpster but still needed to be cleared from the road. One lane was open while crews worked the scene. The interstate was not expected to be fully cleared until noon Wednesday.

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Tractor-Trailer With Hot Brakes Starts Large Brush Fire on Both Sides of Route 202 in New Salem — Two Homes Threatened, Route Closed for Hours

By
Kristina
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Credit: Bryan Favreau

NEW SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS — A passing tractor-trailer with hot brakes ignited a large fire that burned on both sides of Route 202 in New Salem Tuesday afternoon, threatening two nearby houses before firefighters and mutual aid crews brought it under control.

Tractor-Trailer With Hot Brakes Starts Large Brush Fire
Credit: Bryan Favreau

New Salem Fire Department crews knocked down the bulk of the advancing fire before mutual aid partners arrived to help establish a containment line around the entire incident. The Department of Forest Fire Control also responded. Massachusetts State Police and New Salem Police established detours while crews worked the scene.

Route 202 reopened just after 7:00 p.m.

No injuries were reported. The two nearby houses were not damaged.

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Semi-Truck Driver Hospitalized in Serious Condition After Crashing Into Wall on I-80 in Salt Lake City

By
Kristina
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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH — A semi-truck driver was hospitalized in moderate to serious condition Tuesday after the tractor crashed into a wall on westbound Interstate 80 near 2700 West.

Utah Highway Patrol responded to the single-vehicle crash and found the tractor had struck the wall. The driver was transported to a hospital. The right two lanes of westbound I-80 closed following the crash and were expected to remain closed for approximately an hour and a half.

The cause of the crash has not been released. The investigation is ongoing.

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Semi-Truck High-Centers on Railroad Tracks in Cass County; Driver Escapes Seconds Before Canadian Pacific Kansas City Train Strikes It

By
Kristina
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Train Strikes semi

BELTON, MISSOURI — A Canadian Pacific Kansas City train struck a semi-tractor-trailer that had become stuck on railroad tracks at a crossing near Belton in rural Cass County Tuesday morning. No injuries were reported.

MSHP Troop A

The crash occurred at approximately 9:15 a.m. at the crossing on East 187th Street just east of South Homes Road/Missouri Route D. The semi driver was traveling eastbound on 187th Street when the truck became stuck on the tracks after high-centering at the top of the hill. The driver was able to exit the truck before the train struck it. The trailer was not hauling any cargo.

Train Strikes semi
Belton Fire Department

Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop A Sgt. Justin Ewing confirmed the driver escaped without injury. The Belton Fire Department also responded to the scene.

Belton Fire Department

The crossing is known for similar previous incidents involving vehicles becoming stuck on the tracks. 187th Street closed following the crash but reopened after the train was moved away from the crossing. The train was being inspected to determine whether it could continue to its destination.

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Driver Escapes Submerged Cab after Tanker Truck Plunges Off Meighan Bridge and Sinks Into Coosa River; Cab Being Retrieved From River Bottom

By
Kristina
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GADSDEN, ALABAMA — A tanker truck plunged off the Meighan Bridge into the Coosa River Tuesday morning, sending the cab to the river bottom and triggering a diesel fuel leak response. The driver escaped from the submerged cab and was transported to a hospital.

The truck came to rest near the Highway 431/Meighan Bridge. The Gadsden Fire Chief confirmed the driver was able to escape the cab after it entered the water. Details about the driver’s injuries were not immediately available.

Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford confirmed the tanker was empty at the time of the crash, limiting the environmental impact. However, the cab sank to the bottom of the Coosa River and was leaking diesel oil. Gadsden Fire Department, Gadsden Police Department, the Etowah County Emergency Management Agency, and the Etowah County Sheriff’s Department responded to contain the leak and are working to retrieve the cab from the river. Mayor Ford said the leak has been contained.

One lane of the Meighan Bridge remains closed until further notice. City officials are urging drivers to avoid the area and use alternate crossings including the Broad Street Bridge or Interstate 759 to cross the river.

The cause of the crash has not been released. The incident remains under investigation.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.

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 ICE Arrests Semi Driver Charged in Deaths of Two Newlyweds — Oregon Had Declined to Honor Federal Detainer and Released Him — Agents Arrested Him 20 Days Later in Washington

By
Kristina
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0

TACOMA, WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a semi-truck driver on April 22, 2026, who is charged with killing two newlyweds in a jackknife crash on a Oregon highway in November 2025 — weeks after Oregon authorities declined to cooperate with an ICE detainer request and released him back into the community.

Rajinder Kumar is now being held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma and has been placed in removal proceedings.

The Crash

On November 24, 2025, Kumar jackknifed his semi-truck and trailer on U.S. Highway 20 in Deschutes County, Oregon, blocking both lanes of the highway. A Subaru Outback collided with the semi. Both occupants — William Micah Carter and Jennifer Lynn Lower — were killed. The couple had been married for just 16 days.

Kumar was charged in connection with the crash. He has a trial scheduled for January 2027.

The Release and Arrest

On April 2, 2026, Oregon authorities declined to cooperate with ICE and released Kumar back into the community. Twenty days later, on April 22, ICE agents located and arrested him.

According to DHS, Kumar entered the United States illegally near Lukeville, Arizona on November 28, 2022. He subsequently received work authorization and was issued a commercial driver’s license by California.

DHS Statement

“This illegal alien was issued a CDL by California. He then went on to recklessly drive a truck on America’s highways and kill two honeymooners. Instead of cooperating with ICE law enforcement, Oregon sanctuary politicians released him from jail back into American communities,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “Every time sanctuary politicians release a dangerous criminal illegal alien back into our communities, they are gambling with American lives. 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.”

Victims of immigration crime may contact the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office at 1-855-488-6423.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.

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