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One Year After I-35 Pileup That Killed Five in Austin, NTSB Documents Reveal Texas Issued Wrong CDL, Company Ignored 36 Speeding Flags, and Driver Was Severely Sleep-Deprived

By
Kristina
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AUSTIN, TEXAS — One year after a deadly pileup on Interstate 35 in North Austin killed five people, the National Transportation Safety Board has released hundreds of pages of investigative documents pointing to a cascade of regulatory failures — by the state, the driver, and his employer — that may have contributed to the crash.

The documents reveal that Texas issued the wrong type of commercial driver’s license to the driver. Federal officials say the error could have kept him off the road years before the crash.

(Jay Janner/American-Statesman)

The Licensing Failure

The NTSB found that Texas granted Solomun Weldekeal Araya a standard commercial driver’s license when federal regulations required a non-domiciled CDL based on his immigration status. Had the correct license been issued, it would have expired years before the March 2025 crash. Investigators could not determine whether he would have been eligible for a CDL at the time of the collision. The Texas Department of Public Safety did not respond to a request for comment.

On top of the licensing issue, Weldekeal Araya’s required medical certificate had expired roughly two weeks before the crash. That lapse meant his license was already set for downgrade. His North Texas-based employer — the now-defunct ZBN Transport LLC — said it had no idea the certificate had expired.

The Company Had No Safety Structure

ZBN Transport showed serious safety failures, according to the documents. The company had no formal safety structure, no written hiring procedures, and no documented employee policies. When hiring drivers, the owner reached out to members of his Eritrean community to fill openings. Applicants needed a CDL, a driving record, a medical certificate, and had to pass drug and road tests — but no written qualifications or documentation of pre-employment screening existed.

The company’s electronic logging devices flagged Weldekeal Araya 36 times for speeding and 10 times for hard braking in the week leading up to the crash. Management addressed none of those incidents. The truck also carried a dashcam and safety monitoring system that was not operational at the time of the crash.

The Night of the Crash

The crash occurred at approximately 11:20 p.m. on March 13, 2025, on southbound I-35 near Parmer Lane. Weldekeal Araya was traveling in the center lane when he failed to stop for traffic backed up in a construction zone and slammed into a line of vehicles. His truck struck a Volkswagen Jetta and a Chevrolet Silverado, killing their occupants, before continuing another tenth of a mile and striking 13 additional vehicles. A family of four — including an infant and a child — and an elderly woman died. Other drivers told investigators they saw the slowdown and reacted in time to avoid the crash.

Federal investigators found that Weldekeal Araya was operating on little sleep, frequently using his phone, and speeding in a construction zone in the moments before impact. An analysis of his phone activity showed he may have slept no more than 4 hours and 45 minutes total while off-duty — including just 1 hour and 15 minutes of uninterrupted rest. He used his phone extensively during periods when he was supposed to be sleeping. Investigators believe he likely unlocked his phone within a minute of the crash, though they could not confirm he was actively using it at that moment. The truck was traveling approximately 70 mph in a 60 mph work zone when it approached stopped traffic. Investigators also found discrepancies in his driving logs, including instances of driving while marked off-duty and unaccounted mileage.

Solomun Weldekeal-Araya (Austin Police Department)

The Charges

Weldekeal Araya faces five counts of manslaughter and 17 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was released on bond in April 2025. His case remains pending. His defense attorney, Bristol Myers, declined an interview but released a written statement. “The NTSB report reinforces that this was a tragic accident, not a crime,” Myers said.

Investigators initially charged Weldekeal Araya with intoxication manslaughter after he failed multiple field sobriety tests. However, a breath test showed a 0.00 blood-alcohol level. Investigators later concluded he may have been under the influence of a central nervous system depressant, but two blood samples taken at the hospital came back clean.

The NTSB said in a statement that the documents released so far contain only factual findings. “Analysis, probable cause and contributing factors will be determined at the conclusion of the investigation,” the agency said. The NTSB typically completes investigations within 12 to 24 months of an incident.

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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Dallas Tow Truck Driver Killed While Fixing Flat Tire on I-20 — Drunk Driver on Immigration Hold Charged With Intoxication Manslaughter

By
Kristina
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DALLAS, TEXAS — A 66-year-old tow truck driver died Wednesday afternoon after a driver who had been drinking struck him on the side of Interstate 20 while he was fixing a flat tire. The suspect is on an immigration hold and is believed to be in the country illegally.

The crash occurred around 3:30 p.m. near Spur 408 near Mountain Creek Parkway. Guillermo Garcia had stopped on the shoulder to fix a flat tire when a SUV driven by 41-year-old Selvin Amador Morazon swerved and struck him. Garcia arrived at a hospital shortly after but did not survive.

Authorities arrested Morazon and charged him with intoxication manslaughter. He failed a sobriety test and admitted to police he had been drinking hours before the crash. Records show Morazon is on an immigration hold and is suspected of being in the country illegally.

Selvin Amador Morazon

“His Boots, His Hat, Everything Was Scattered on the Highway”

Jose Moreno-Mercado had driven out to help his friend fix the tire and witnessed the crash firsthand. He spoke to FOX 4 about what he saw and described the devastating moments that followed.

“The car passed right by and that’s when it hit him,” Moreno-Mercado said. “His boots, his hat, everything was scattered on the highway.”

Moreno-Mercado rushed to Garcia’s side and stayed with him until help arrived. “I was telling him I was going to be there whatever happens. I was going to be with him,” he said. “He put his head in my lap and I held him like this, and I said ‘Can you hear me, can you hear me?’ And he said, yeah, yeah.”

He remembered Garcia as a generous and humble man. “Guillermo was a very good, nice person. Very humble. He would help everybody,” Moreno-Mercado said.

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

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Arizona Troopers Stop Semi Truck Driving on Bare Rims After Losing All Four Tires — Driver Was Heading to a Repair Shop

By
Kristina
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NAVAJO COUNTY, ARIZONA — Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers stopped a semi truck driving on its rims on Interstate 40, ten miles east of Winslow, after the vehicle lost both front tires and wheels due to a mechanical failure at the front axle hub.

The driver told the trooper he was heading to Winslow to find a repair shop. The front axle hub failure had already stripped both tires and wheels from the vehicle. As the driver pressed on, the rear axle tires absorbed the extra load and blew out as well.

AZDPS used the stop to issue a direct warning to the trucking community about the dangers of continuing to drive on damaged tires or rims.

Photo credit: AZDPS Highway Patrol

“Something wrong with your tires? Slow down, turn on your hazards, and pull over off the highway or off to a shoulder if an exit isn’t available,” AZDPS said. “It is extremely dangerous to drive longer than necessary on busted tires or rims because it can cause serious damage to your vehicle, gouge the road, kick up rocks into other vehicles, or throw sparks that could start a fire. Be smart and stay alert to any changes with your vehicle.”

No injuries were reported in connection with the incident.

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

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Georgia Governor Signs Bill for 60-Day Suspension of Motor Fuel Tax — 37.3 Cents Per Gallon Diesel Relief for Truckers as National Average Hits $5.16

By
Kristina
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA — Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed bill HB 1199 into law on March 20, 2026. The bill suspends the state motor fuel tax for 60 days. The goal is simple: give drivers and truckers immediate relief as fuel prices climb toward record levels.

What Drivers Can Expect

Georgia’s excise tax currently sits at 33.3 cents per gallon of gasoline and 37.3 cents per gallon of diesel. Both suspensions kick in immediately. However, drivers won’t see the drop right away. Prices at the pump will start to reflect the change in the coming days and weeks as retailers receive new fuel shipments.

For context, the national average price of diesel currently stands at $5.159 per gallon, according to AAA. The all-time high was $5.816 in June 2022 — and prices are once again trending in that direction.

What Officials Are Saying

“Hardworking Georgians know best how to spend their money, not the government,” Kemp said. “That’s why I’m proud to sign these bills and deliver meaningful tax relief on top of the other measures we’ve taken in recent years.”

Speaker Jon Burns specifically called out the benefit for the trucking industry. “Today’s suspension of the state gas tax will save hardworking Georgians and the truckers who keep our state moving nearly $400 million over the next 60 days,” Burns said. “Here in Georgia, we aren’t just talking about addressing affordability — we’re delivering results.”

Lt. Governor Burt Jones added his support. “The two bills signed today provide significant and immediate tax relief and further our commitment to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” Jones said.

HB 1199 was sponsored by Representative John Carson and carried in the Senate by Chuck Hufstetler. Combined with previous tax rebates, rate reductions, and earlier gas tax suspensions, Kemp will have saved or returned over $11.8 billion to Georgia taxpayers.

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

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CBP Officers Find 944 Pounds of Liquid Meth Hidden in 29 Five-Gallon Buckets Inside Semi Truck Fuel Tank at Otay Mesa — Mexican Truck Driver Arrested

By
Kristina
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OTAY MESA, CALIFORNIA — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers pulled 944 pounds of liquid methamphetamine from the fuel tank of a tractor-trailer at the Otay Mesa Cargo Facility on March 2, 2026. The drugs filled 29 five-gallon buckets. Officers found them mixed directly into the diesel fuel.

A 26-year-old Mexican citizen drove the tractor-trailer into the facility seeking entry into the United States from Mexico. The initial screening raised concerns. Officers flagged the vehicle for a secondary inspection. In the secondary area, CBP ran the truck through nonintrusive inspection technology. Officers then opened the fuel tank and inserted a probe. It hit something unusual — an unknown gel-like substance mixed into the diesel. They pulled out 29 five-gallon buckets of the liquid. It field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Total weight: 944 pounds.

Officers handed the driver over to Homeland Security Investigations. CBP seized both the drugs and the tractor-trailer.

“Thanks to the vigilance and expertise of our officers, we successfully intercepted 944 pounds of liquid methamphetamine concealed within the fuel tank of a tractor-trailer,” said Otay Mesa Port Director Rosa Hernandez. “This significant seizure demonstrates our ongoing commitment to protecting our borders and preventing dangerous narcotics from reaching our communities.”

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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“Reckless and Ignorant”: North Carolina Truck Driver Strikes 12+ Overpasses on New York Thruway While Hauling Over-Height Excavator – Charged With Reckless Endangerment, 20+ Tickets Issued

By
Kristina
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SALINA, NEW YORK — A North Carolina truck driver hauling an over-height excavator plowed through more than a dozen overpasses along a 60-mile stretch of the New York State Thruway Thursday afternoon. Troopers tracked him down and pulled him over. He now faces reckless endangerment charges and more than 20 tickets.

Shortly before 2 p.m. on March 18, 2026, the New York Thruway Authority reported overpass strikes from a commercial truck heading westbound between Exits 30 and 36. Troopers located the suspect vehicle — a 2019 Freightliner hauling an over-height excavator on a flatbed trailer — and stopped it in the town of Salina. The driver, Oleksander Tarakanovskyi, 38, of North Carolina, had struck more than a dozen overpasses across the 60-mile stretch. Nobody got hurt.

Photo credit: NYSP

The Damage

Inspectors found mild to moderate damage across the affected overpasses. Crews are now examining all impacted structures for potential structural issues. Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare confirmed all bridges remain safe but said repair work will move forward as needed.

“Reckless and ignorant driver behavior has serious consequences. How a tractor trailer driver could be unaware that his load hit more than a dozen bridges is beyond comprehension,” Hoare said. “While bridge hits plague states across the nation, we are committed to holding irresponsible drivers accountable.”

The Charges

Troopers charged Tarakanovskyi with second-degree reckless endangerment and handed him more than 20 tickets. These included citations for violating federal commercial motor vehicle safety regulations.

New York State Police Troop T Commander Major Brian T. Ferrone praised his team’s swift response. “Reckless, egregious behavior will not be tolerated. I commend our uniform troopers and members of the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit for their swift actions in removing this hazard from the road, preventing potential injury to other motorists,” Ferrone 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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62-Year-Old Beaumont Truck Driver Killed After Flatbed Truck Overturns and Traps Him Inside in Lumberton, Texas

By
Kristina
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flatbed overturned

LUMBERTON, TEXAS — A 62-year-old Beaumont man died Thursday morning after the southbound flatbed truck he was driving overturned at the north city limits of Lumberton, trapping him inside.

Lumberton Police Chief Danny Sullins identified the driver as Terry Bellard, 62, of Beaumont. The crash occurred at approximately 10:40 a.m. First responders rushed to the scene and worked to free Bellard from the overturned truck, but he died at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

LHS Drive South (Highway 69) closed at Walton during the crash investigation and while crews worked to remove the wreckage. The Texas Department of Public Safety worked the scene alongside the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office and Lumberton Police Department.

Authorities have not released details about what caused the crash. The investigation remains ongoing.

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

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U.S. Marshals Join Philadelphia Manhunt for Rival Tow Truck Driver Accused of Killing Two Fellow Tow Truck Drivers — Territory Dispute Suspected, $21,500 Reward Offered

By
Kristina
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA — The U.S. Marshals Service joined Philadelphia Police in the hunt for Najee Williams, the suspect wanted in connection with the murders of two tow truck drivers in separate shootings. Investigators believe a towing territory dispute drove both killings. The reward for Williams’ arrest has grown to $21,500.

First Victim: David Garcia-Morales

On December 22, a dark-colored sedan followed a white pickup truck on Torresdale Avenue near Auth Street in Philadelphia’s Frankford neighborhood. The sedan driver pulled into opposing traffic lanes, drove up alongside the truck, and shot 20-year-old David Garcia-Morales at least once in the neck before speeding away. A witness nearby described the moment the shots rang out.

Photo credit: 6abc

“So we were sitting outside, next thing you know we hear about eight gunshots and we all ran,” the witness said. “Broad daylight — it’s people, kids walking from school. It’s pretty scary.”

Garcia-Morales went to Temple University Hospital in critical condition. He died from his injuries on December 26.

Second Victim: Aaron Whitfield Jr.

Three weeks later, on January 12, 25-year-old tow truck driver Aaron Whitfield Jr. and his 21-year-old girlfriend sat parked outside a smoke shop on Bustleton Avenue near the 2100 block of Knorr Street in Northeast Philadelphia. Surveillance video shows a silver Honda pull up alongside the tow truck. Two people inside opened fire, unleashing at least a dozen shots, before speeding away. Whitfield died at the scene. His girlfriend suffered extensive gunshot wounds to her leg and remained hospitalized.

Photo credit: 6abc

Whitfield’s father, Aaron Whitfield Sr., said the family searched hospitals before learning the truth. “We couldn’t find him. We went to every hospital. He was still dead in the truck. That’s my son, that’s my baby son,” he said. He also pushed back hard against any suggestion his son was involved in anything dangerous. “He’s not with the streets, the nonsense or none of that. For somebody just to kill him and shoot his girl nine times, that’s wrong.”

Whitfield’s mother, Kimberly Randleman, struggled to make sense of the violence. “He always went out of his way, took care of everybody. He would be one of the people that you could depend on,” she said. “I don’t understand why they have no respect for nobody no more. They don’t care where you are, who you with, who you’re in front of, they don’t care.”

Whitfield’s parents said they had initially worried about their son entering the towing profession. He loved the work and had never mentioned any problems. “I said, ‘Just be careful, just watch your surroundings.’ I tell them that every time he comes here,” Whitfield Sr. said.

The Suspect and the Motive

Investigators say Najee Williams owns another towing company and believe the killings stem from a towing territory dispute. Police have not established a definitive link between the two shootings, but the U.S. Marshals Service now has joined the investigation. The reward for information leading to Williams’ arrest stands at $21,500.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Philadelphia Police.

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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Cincinnati Police Ask Public to Help Identify Tow Truck Driver Who Stole Multiple Vehicles in Roselawn Neighborhood

By
Kristina
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0
Tow Truck Driver Who Stole Multiple Vehicles

CINCINNATI, OHIO — Cincinnati police are asking the public to help identify the driver of a distinctive tow truck they say stole multiple vehicles in the Roselawn neighborhood last month.

The thefts occurred on February 12 on Section Road near Reinhold Drive in Roselawn. Investigators say the driver used the tow truck to take several vehicles from the area.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (513) 352-3040.

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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38-Year-Old Kentucky Truck Driver Who Pretended to Be a Teen Online Arrested After Taking 17-Year-Old to Oklahoma Love’s Truck Stop — Found Exiting Shower Room Together

By
Kristina
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ARDMORE, OKLAHOMA / ZACHARY, LOUISIANA — Authorities arrested a Kentucky truck driver at a Love’s truck stop in Ardmore, Oklahoma on Tuesday night after finding him with a 17-year-old girl he allegedly lured online by pretending to be a teenager. The girl appeared uninjured, and her parents headed to pick her up Wednesday.

How Police Found Them

The girl vanished from her home in Zachary, Louisiana. Her family reported her missing at approximately 7 a.m. on Tuesday, March 17. Detectives monitored her online communications, identified who she had last spoken with, and pinged her phone. The trail led them straight to Ardmore. Officers found her and 38-year-old truck driver Michael D. Jay stepping out of a shower room at the Love’s truck stop that same evening.

Sgt. Matthew Dunn of the Ardmore Police Department spoke to KXII-TV about the discovery. “Now, when officers arrived, they did locate them coming out of one of these shower rooms,” Dunn said. “They were clothed. It is under investigation what occurred in the shower room and whether anything at all occurred in the shower room.”

How It Started Online

Before her disappearance, the teenager had been talking to Jay online. She thought he was her age. She wanted a ride to Mississippi. The 38-year-old truck driver offered one and she accepted. He picked her up — but drove her to Oklahoma instead.

Zachary Police Chief Darryl Lawrence spoke to Unfiltered News about the case. “She was on social media talking to someone she thought was her age. Turns out it was a guy that’s actually 38-years-old,” Lawrence said. “He came to pick her up, was not who she expected, and then took her in a completely different, unwanted direction.”

Lawrence praised the Ardmore officers for their swift response. “Once we contacted them, they dropped what they were doing and headed over to that Love’s station,” he said.

Jay waived extradition back to Louisiana, WAFB reported. Zachary Police detectives drove to Oklahoma to bring him back. He faces charges of simple kidnapping, indecent behavior with a juvenile, and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. Officers will book him into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison upon his return. Jay is from Kentucky, and detectives are examining his background.

Warning to Parents

Lawrence called the incident a wake-up call for parents everywhere. As far as he knows, the teenager suffered no injuries. But he stressed the danger was very real. “We just have to make sure that they monitor their keys, their social media posts and whatever they are doing on social media,” Lawrence said.

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

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