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48-Year-Old Chicago Truck Driver Dies After Cargo Shifts and Crushes Cab as Tractor-Trailer Runs Off Road Near Laddonia, Missouri

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Missouri State Highway Patrol

AUDRAIN COUNTY, MISSOURI — A 48-year-old Chicago truck driver died Wednesday morning after his tractor-trailer ran off the road, struck a ditch, and caused the cargo to shift and crush the cab near the intersection of Route J and Audrain County Road 481 near Laddonia.

 

tractor-trailer crash
Missouri State Highway Patrol

The crash occurred at approximately 6:20 a.m. on April 1, 2026. The westbound 2011 International LF627 tractor-trailer, insured under Pam’s Enterprise Inc., ran off the right side of the roadway and struck a ditch. The vehicle came to rest facing west. The cargo shift struck the cab during the rollover. The tractor-trailer driver was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:24 a.m. by Dr. Pelican. Next of kin has been notified.

tractor-trailer crash
Missouri State Highway Patrol

Trooper J.W. Cox of Troop F investigated the crash, assisted by Sgt. R.S. Thompson, Cpl. S.M. Campbell, and Trooper T.R. Hecker. A-1 Towing of Mexico, Missouri responded to the scene. This marks Troop F’s first fatality for April and the 12th for 2026.

The roadway remained blocked as of Wednesday morning while crews worked to clean up the tractor-trailer from the scene.

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Amtrak Train Carrying 101 Passengers Collides With Garbage Truck at Private Crossing With No Warning Signals in South Carolina — Truck Driver Injured, Passengers Stranded

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Kristina
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Williamsburg County Fire Dept.

KINGSTREE, SOUTH CAROLINA — A garbage truck and an Amtrak train collided Wednesday morning at a private crossing with no crossarms or warning signals in Williamsburg County, leaving the truck driver with minor injuries and stranding 101 passengers and crew members.

Williamsburg County Fire Dept.

The Williamsburg County Fire Department responded at 10:25 a.m. on April 1, 2026, to the crash near 676 North Williamsburg County Highway, approximately three miles north of Kingstree. First responders found the garbage truck pushed off to the side of the tracks and the Amtrak train upright farther down the line from the point of impact.

The truck driver — the only occupant of the garbage truck — got out on his own and went to a local hospital for evaluation with minor injuries. No passengers or crew members aboard the train reported injuries.

Williamsburg County Fire Dept.

Both the truck and the train sustained extensive damage. The tracks must be inspected before rail service can resume. Because the train could not continue, Amtrak initially planned to bus passengers to the next station. Officials later updated that plan, directing passengers to the local Recovery Center in Kingstree to wait for transportation to the next station or a connecting train.

Williamsburg County Fire Dept.

The crossing where the collision occurred was a private crossing with no crossarms or warning signals in place. Minor traffic issues were expected in the area for several hours. The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

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Indiana Cancels 1,790 Non-Citizen CDLs After New Federal Rule and State Law Take Effect

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Kristina
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INDIANA — Indiana officials are pulling thousands of commercial drivers off the road as new federal and state restrictions target non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs).

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) said it mailed notices on March 16 to 1,790 drivers, informing them their CDLs would be canceled. The move follows updated Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requirements and Indiana House Enrolled Act 1200 (HEA 1200), which took effect April 1.

BMV officials said nearly all non-domiciled CDL holders in the state have now lost their driving privileges. These licenses applied to operators of semi-trucks, buses, and delivery vehicles.

Federal Rule Narrows Eligibility

FMCSA limited eligibility for non-domiciled CDLs to drivers with specific employment-based nonimmigrant visas. Those categories include H-2A for temporary agricultural workers, H-2B for temporary non-agricultural workers, and E-2 for treaty investors.

The federal rule is facing a legal challenge. Critics argue there is not enough data to show non-domiciled CDL holders cause more crashes than citizen drivers. Federal officials have acknowledged that point during public discussions of the policy.

Indiana Law Adds Enforcement Measures

Indiana’s HEA 1200 follows the federal restrictions and adds state-level enforcement. Commercial drivers must now demonstrate English language proficiency. The law makes it a Level 6 felony to present false records or operate without proper CDL documentation.

The BMV can revoke CDLs for drivers who do not meet documentation requirements. Businesses that hire undocumented individuals to operate commercial vehicles can face fines of up to $50,000.

Previous CDL Requirements in Indiana

Before the changes, Indiana issued non-domiciled CDLs to applicants who provided Real ID documentation, proof of lawful status, and a Social Security number. Applicants also needed an unexpired work permit, an expired permit with a receipt or approval notice, or a valid foreign passport with an approved I-94 arrival/departure record.

Drivers from Canada and Mexico remain exempt under reciprocal agreements and can operate in the U.S. with valid licenses from their home countries.

Crashes Highlighted Amid Crackdown

Officials are rolling out these changes as scrutiny increases on commercial driver vetting following several fatal crashes in Indiana.

Authorities cited an October crash in Porter County involving a semi and a passenger vehicle that killed a 54-year-old Mishawaka man, where the semi driver reportedly held a regular Illinois license. In February, a crash in Jay County involving a commercial driver from Kyrgyzstan killed four people, and ICE later detained the driver. In March, authorities charged a 24-year-old driver in Hendricks County after a crash that killed a 64-year-old motorist.

Officials said affected drivers were notified because they did not meet the updated documentation requirements.

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USDOT Reports 6.7% Drop in Traffic Fatalities From 2024, Marking Second-Lowest Fatality Rate in Recorded History

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Kristina
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that traffic fatalities fell to near-record lows in 2025, with an estimated 36,640 people killed on American roads — down 6.7% from 39,254 deaths in 2024. The fatality rate of 1.10 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled marks the second-lowest in recorded history.

NHTSA reported that fatalities dropped in 39 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The decline came even as Americans drove more — vehicle miles traveled increased by approximately 29.8 billion miles, about 0.9%, according to preliminary Federal Highway Administration data.

USDOT credited the improvement to strengthened law enforcement partnerships, cracking down on unqualified truckers operating big rigs, and making newer and safer vehicles more affordable for American families through the Freedom Means Affordable Cars initiative.

“President Trump and I are committed to keeping American families safe on our roads,” said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “In the past year alone, we’ve partnered with our incredible law enforcement officers to get dangerous foreign truck drivers off the roads and educate the public about the dangers of distracted driving, drunk driving, and driving without a seat belt. At this Department, the safety and success of American families drive our work.”

NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison added: “Under President Trump and Secretary Duffy, American roads are safer. NHTSA is doing our part by doubling down on safety strategies that reduce risky driving behaviors before they cost lives.”

Distracted Driving Push

USDOT made the announcement at an event marking April as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. From April 6 through 13, NHTSA’s “Put the Phone Away or Pay” campaign will highlight the financial, legal, and deadly consequences of distracted driving. Eighteen people sustain injuries every half hour in distracted driving crashes. One person dies approximately every 2.5 hours.

The campaign kickoff featured remarks from NHTSA Administrator Morrison, FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs, Fairfield Connecticut Police Chief Michael Paris, and Patty Kruszewski of Virginia, a mother who lost her daughter in a distracted driving crash. Campaign ads are running across television, radio, and digital platforms.

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Dump Truck Driver Cursed at Every Witness Who Warned Him His Bed Was Up — Knocked Out Five Streetlights and Hit I-64 Overpass, Now Faces Five Felony Counts

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Kristina
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MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MISSOURI — A dump truck driver who knocked down five streetlights and struck an Interstate 64 overpass while driving with his bed raised had his bond reduced Wednesday from $75,000 to $25,000. Multiple witnesses say they warned him his bed was up. He responded by cursing at them.

Rusty Soden told the judge he has worked as a dump truck driver for about a year and a half and believes he will still have his job if released. The court set a condition of bond: no driving. Soden faces five felony counts of leaving the scene of an accident after striking five separate stop lights in Maryland Heights. Police caught up with him nearly 10 miles away after he hit the I-64 overpass.

Witnesses Tried to Warn Him

Hunter Basham was doing landscaping work along Route 141 on Tuesday when the dump truck drove past with its bed in the air. His boss stepped out and flagged the driver down. “My boss actually got out and told the guy that his bed was up. What we didn’t know was that he had already hit one traffic light,” Basham said. Soden cursed at them and kept driving. “He said some choice words and that’s when I took the video,” Basham said. His video shows the dump truck — bed still raised — taking down a stop light on Route 141 at Creve Coeur Mill Road. According to the criminal complaint, multiple people warned Soden along the route. He cursed at each of them.

The Investigation

St. Louis County Police inspected the truck and found no mechanical issues that could have caused the bed to stay raised. Maryland Heights police say alcohol and drugs do not appear to have played a role. Authorities confirmed Soden held an active CDL at the time of the incident.

Photo credit: FOX2

Multiple witnesses identified the truck as belonging to a company named “HD” from French Village, Missouri. The U.S. DOT lists the company as operating eight trucks and eight drivers. When FOX 2 visited the address on file, it led to a gated residential lakeside community on Goose Creek Lake. When FOX 2 called the company, someone said “no comment” and hung up before hearing why they were calling.

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

Reporting courtesy of FOX 2.

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44-Year-Old Florida Truck Driver Killed After Timber From Semi in Front of Him Pierces Through His Cab on U.S. 98 in Lakeland

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Kristina
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POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA — A Winter Park truck driver died Wednesday morning after a piece of timber from the semi in front of him pierced through his cab following a crash on U.S. 98 North at State Road 471 in Lakeland.

Polk County deputies responded at approximately 10:50 a.m. to reports of a two-semi collision. They arrived to find Gabriel Lorenzo Beauford, 44, of Winter Park, dead in his cab.

A 34-year-old Ocala man driving a Mack truck was hauling tree timber ahead of Beauford. The Mack truck moved into a left turn lane. Beauford did not notice it slowing and struck the timber load. The impact drove timber through Beauford’s cab, his trailer, and the cargo inside.

The crash caused hazardous materials to spill on the road. Authorities rerouted traffic and closed U.S. 98 for several hours. Polk County Fire Rescue, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Transportation, and Polk County Road Maintenance all responded to assist with cleanup.

Investigators confirmed the timber-hauling truck complied with all safety measures. No criminal or civil charges are expected. The investigation remains ongoing.

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DOJ Sues California Towing Company for Illegally Auctioning 148 Vehicles Belonging to U.S. Military Members — Manager Said “We Do This All the Time” After Being Warned

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Kristina
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SAN CLEMENTE, CALIFORNIA — The U.S. Department of Justice sued a Southern California towing company on March 25, 2026. The charge: illegally auctioning vehicles belonging to active military members. The company kept doing it even after a military attorney warned them they were breaking federal law.

The Allegations

DOJ’s lawsuit targets S & K Towing, Inc. of San Clemente. The complaint alleges the company violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Between August 28, 2020, and April 15, 2025, S & K illegally sold or disposed of as many as 148 vehicles belonging to servicemembers. Many of those vehicles came from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. S & K held a towing contract with Camp Pendleton that required compliance with all applicable federal and state laws. The company ignored those requirements entirely.

Under the SCRA, towing companies must obtain a court order before selling or disposing of any vehicle belonging to a protected servicemember. S & K never sought those court orders.

‘We Do This All the Time’

In May 2024, a Military Legal Assistance attorney called S & K Towing and explained the company was breaking federal law. A manager responded: “We do this all the time.” S & K then continued selling and disposing of servicemembers’ vehicles — still without court orders. In some cases, the company auctioned vehicles registered to Camp Pendleton addresses. In others, S & K proceeded with auctions after staff explicitly told them the owner served in the military.

What Officials Said

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the DOJ Civil Rights Division called out the company directly. “Towing companies must respect and abide by the federal laws that protect members of our Armed Forces,” Dhillon said. “Servicemembers are often absent for extended periods due to training and deployments and may not know that their vehicle has been towed. The SCRA plays an important role in providing these servicemembers with adequate legal protections.”

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli for the Central District of California added: “Servicemembers deserve peace of mind in knowing that their legal rights will be protected at home while they are away serving the United States. It is unacceptable for a business to sell or dispose of servicemembers’ vehicles without abiding by the laws that protect servicemembers.”

The DOJ Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California are handling the case. Since 2011, DOJ has secured more than $484 million in relief for over 149,000 servicemembers through SCRA enforcement.

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

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Arkansas Deputies Seize 2,800 Pounds of Drugs Worth $4.5 Million From Commercial Vehicle — Driver Found on Expired Tourist Visa With New York License

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Kristina
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SALINE COUNTY, ARKANSAS — A traffic stop on Interstate 30 in Saline County led to the seizure of more than 2,800 pounds of narcotics worth an estimated $4.5 million after deputies discovered the driver was a foreign national operating on an expired tourist visa with a New York driver’s license behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle displaying Alaska license plates.

The stop occurred on February 22, 2026, when a Saline County Sheriff’s Office deputy pulled over a commercial vehicle at mile marker 106 on I-30. Deputies discovered a large quantity of illegal narcotics inside the vehicle and arrested the driver without incident.

The driver, Firdavs Nazarov, 38, of the Republic of Tajikistan, was in the United States on an expired tourist visa. He carried a New York driver’s license. The commercial vehicle displayed Alaska license plates. During the investigation, company owner Aleksey Shcherbina told investigators that Nazarov was hauling the truck’s contents from Oregon to North Carolina.

The DEA and Homeland Security Investigations assisted with the investigation. The Saline County Sheriff’s Office released details of the seizure on April 1, 2026.

“This seizure represents a substantial disruption to the distribution of illegal narcotics and highlights the Saline County Sheriff’s Office’s continued commitment to public safety and proactive law enforcement efforts,” SCSO said.

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

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Oregon Truck Driver Who Killed Two Newlyweds in Highway 20 Jackknife Crash Pleads Not Guilty to Manslaughter — Trial Set for January 2027

By
Kristina
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BEND, OREGON — A truck driver detained by ICE after a fatal crash that killed two newlyweds on Highway 20 in eastern Oregon pleaded not guilty Monday to two counts of first-degree manslaughter. A nine-day jury trial is set for January 2027.

Rajinder Kumar, 32, entered his plea on March 30, 2026, in Deschutes County Circuit Court before Judge Wells Ashby. The judge scheduled a trial readiness hearing for January 5, 2027, and a nine-day jury trial beginning January 19, 2027. The hearing will also address whether Kumar will wear restraints during trial. Kumar faces two counts of first-degree manslaughter and three misdemeanor counts of reckless endangering. His bail was reduced from $500,000 to $250,000.

The Crash

The crash occurred at approximately 9:30 p.m. on November 24, 2025, on Highway 20 at milepost 51, about 50 miles east of Bend and nine miles east of Brothers. Kumar’s semi jackknifed, leaving the cab facing eastbound with the trailer sitting perpendicular across the highway. A westbound Subaru Outback driven by William Micah Carter, 25, of Springfield, struck the trailer. Carter and his passenger, Jennifer Lynn Lower Carter, 24, of John Day — who had recently married — died at the scene. Kumar was not injured.

Oregon State Police identified dark conditions and a lack of active emergency warning equipment as primary contributors to the crash.

Immigration Hold

The Department of Homeland Security lodged an immigration detainer for Kumar. DHS says he is a citizen of India who entered the country illegally at the Arizona border approximately three years before the crash. He was living in Fresno, California at the time of his arrest.

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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“Never Seen a Commercial Vehicle This Bad”: Georgia Officers Issue 15 Citations After 64,000-Pound Dump Truck Found With Exploded Brake Pad and Disintegrating Rims

By
Kristina
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DULUTH, GEORGIA — A routine traffic stop of a loaded dump truck in Duluth turned into a multi-agency inspection that produced 15 citations and left an experienced commercial vehicle enforcement officer speechless. Rear inner rims had come apart. A brake pad had completely separated and exploded off the rim. The truck weighed 64,000 pounds.

Duluth Police Department Officer Carrero from the traffic unit made the initial stop on March 31, 2026. What he found prompted an immediate call to the Georgia Department of Public Safety’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement unit for backup. After a full inspection, Officer Carrero issued one citation for operating an unsafe vehicle. CVE issued 14 additional citations to the driver and vehicle owner. Officers pulled the truck from the road.

“The condition was so severe that the CVE officer said they had never seen a commercial vehicle this bad,” DPD said.

DPD did not hold back in describing the danger the truck posed to the public. “Let that sink in — a 64,000-pound vehicle was traveling our roads in this condition. This was far beyond a minor equipment issue. It could have easily caused serious injury or loss of life,” the department said.

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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