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Ohio State Highway Patrol Uses Seized Semi-Truck to Catch Work Zone Speeders on Ohio Turnpike — Two Troopers Operate Radar and Radio Nearby Units From Inside Cab

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Kristina
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OHIO — The Ohio State Highway Patrol is deploying a seized semi-truck to catch speeders in work zones along the Ohio Turnpike, turning the commercial vehicle into a rolling speed enforcement platform equipped with radar and radio communication.

The semi was seized under the Ohio Drug Offender Law and is typically used for recruitment and education purposes. OSHP saw an opportunity to put it to work for speed enforcement in construction zones. Two troopers ride in the truck during enforcement details — one drives and operates the speed radar while the other communicates with troopers on the road via radio. When a speeding vehicle is identified, nearby troopers follow the vehicle and wait for confirmation before making the traffic stop.

OSHP Sergeant Ryan Purpura said work zone speeding is a persistent problem. In 2025, OSHP issued 2,142 work zone speeding citations along the turnpike alone. More than half of those citations were for speeds 20 miles per hour or more over the posted limit.

The Ohio Turnpike welcomed the enforcement presence. “It’s such a high profile enforcement detail that’s clearly going to get the attention of motorists in our work zones especially,” said Ohio Turnpike Public Information Officer Brian Newbacher. The stakes are high — more than 1,000 workers are expected to be active on the turnpike in 2026 as a continued pavement replacement project moves forward.

“If you don’t see them right away, they are going to be there, whether it’s in a median wall. Some cases there are no barriers. Just cones and barrels,” Newbacher said. “Just plan ahead a few extra minutes. You’ll get to your destination safely, and our workers will get home safely.”

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Indiana Truck Driver Says Pothole Caused Semi to Roll Over on I-70; Crews Worked Over Two Hours to Clear Scene, Traffic Backed Up for Miles

By
Kristina
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CLAY COUNTY, INDIANA — A semi-truck rolled over on westbound Interstate 70 Sunday evening after the driver told police he hit a pothole and lost control, closing the highway for more than two hours and backing up traffic for miles.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said the crash occurred at approximately 6:45 p.m. near the 23-mile marker, between North County Road 200 East and Exit 23. The driver was not injured. Crews worked to clear the overturned semi from the roadway. I-70 westbound reopened at 9:15 p.m.

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Georgia Senate Candidate Pushes to Strip Noncitizen CDLs — Investigation Finds His Own Trucking Company Has Been Involved in Five Deaths and 50+ Injuries Over 25 Years

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Kristina
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GEORGIA — Mike Collins, a Republican U.S. House member from Georgia who owns a trucking business and sits on the House Transportation Committee, has made restricting commercial driver’s licenses for noncitizen truckers a centerpiece of his campaign for U.S. Senate. An investigative report has found that over the past 25 years, truckers working for his family’s business have been involved in crashes that killed five people and injured more than 50 others — while Collins has opposed safety technologies that experts say could reduce serious crashes.

Collins has not responded to requests for comment on his business’s safety record or his policy positions.

Collins’ Position on Noncitizen CDLs

Collins has been among the loudest advocates for the Trump administration’s push to revoke commercial driver’s licenses from nearly 200,000 noncitizen drivers. He has described the effort as “purely a safety issue” and has said that drivers who cannot read English road signs do not belong behind the wheel.

However, the Trump administration’s own initial analysis of the rule found that there is not sufficient evidence from rigorous quantitative analysis to demonstrate a measurable relationship between a trucker’s citizenship status and safety outcomes. A letter from nearly 20 Democratic state attorneys general noted that the administration cited only five fatal crashes in 2025 caused by noncitizens with CDLs out of more than 4,000 CDL-related deaths nationwide, and argued the rule presented no facts to support the claim that revoking thousands of licenses would benefit public safety. A legal challenge to the rule filed by public interest lawyers remains pending.

Collins’ Safety Record at His Own Company

An analysis of federal motor vehicle data from the past two years found that Collins’ trucking business has a higher rate of unsafe driving and speeding violations per mile than the majority of trucking companies with substantial mileage. The company’s recent crash rate sits around the median of similar companies, while the rate of injury from those crashes sits in the top fifth.

Over the past 25 years, the company’s fleet — which hauls timber, tires, and steel for clients including Georgia-Pacific and operates approximately 100 trucks — has been involved in more than 90 crashes resulting in at least 51 injuries and five deaths, according to federal data, court filings, and police records.

In one case in 2007, a Collins trucker crossed into oncoming traffic on a North Carolina highway and struck a Honda CR-V, killing both the trucker and the other driver. Court filings indicate both parties agreed to a $1 million payout from the company’s liability insurer. The company stated the trucker had been stricken by a physical impairment beyond his control.

In 2021, a Collins trucker allegedly switched lanes on an Indiana highway and collided with another vehicle. The driver claimed she sustained injuries that forced her to leave nursing school. The company denied wrongdoing and the case was later settled for an undisclosed amount.

In 2023, a Collins trucker allegedly failed to stop in time approaching a red light in northeast Georgia, causing a four-vehicle crash. Two drivers filed lawsuits claiming serious injuries, with one claiming medical costs exceeding $120,000 for back, knee, and neck treatment. The company denied wrongdoing and settled both cases for undisclosed amounts.

In a separate earlier incident, a Collins trucker who had pleaded no contest to drunk driving earlier in the year was later involved in a crash after losing control of his trailer. The trucker subsequently pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of cocaine. The business fired the trucker after the crash.

Collins’ Opposition to Safety Technologies

Collins has opposed two proposed safety mandates that experts say could reduce serious crashes — speed limiters and automatic emergency braking systems.

On speed limiters, Collins told a congressional hearing that the federal government should not require the devices, arguing that insurance companies and speed limit signs were sufficient deterrents. His position stood at odds with the American Trucking Associations — whose membership includes Collins’ own company — which expressed support for capping truck speeds between 65 and 70 mph. The Trump administration ultimately withdrew the speed limiter proposal in 2025.

On automatic emergency braking, Collins said at congressional hearings that the technology was expensive and did not work well enough to justify a mandate. Federal officials had estimated the requirement could prevent more than 8,000 injuries per year. ATA supported much of the proposal. Collins’ own company has used the systems in some of its trucks. The Trump administration has since delayed the rule and may narrow its scope.

Safety experts cited in the investigation said both technologies are proven to reduce the likelihood of crashes causing serious injuries and deaths. “These are proven technologies,” said Zach Cahalan, executive director of the Truck Safety Coalition. “They would protect those we hold dear on our roads from horrific tragedy.”

Collins has said his decades in the trucking business make him more attuned to which safety measures actually work. “We want to be safe,” he said at a congressional hearing. “I don’t know of a trucking company out there that doesn’t want to be safe. And when they are not safe, they are taken off the road.”

Investigation by ProPublica.

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Illinois Man Sentenced to Five Years for Stealing $10.1 Million in Copper and Liquor Cargo by Impersonating Freight Brokers and Carriers Over Three Years

By
Kristina
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS — A suburban Chicago man was sentenced to five years in federal prison on May 6, 2026, for a three-year scheme in which he posed as a representative of both real and fictitious logistics companies to steal more than $10 million in interstate shipments, including commercial-grade copper and liquor.

Aivaras Zigmantas, 41, of Elk Grove Village, pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud in December 2025. U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo imposed the 60-month sentence during a hearing in federal court in Chicago.

How the Scheme Worked

Between 2020 and 2023, Zigmantas used various aliases to fraudulently pose as employees of both legitimate and fictitious motor carriers and freight brokers. He induced companies to release shipments to him by misrepresenting himself as a logistics representative. Once the cargo was released, Zigmantas and others diverted the shipments from their intended destinations and stole the goods. Authorities say Zigmantas and his associates intended to steal at least $14.6 million in goods and successfully stole more than $10.1 million.

“Over the course of three years, defendant stole more than $10 million in shipments of copper and liquor by fraudulently posing as employees of both legitimate and fictitious logistics companies,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate McClelland. “He had the ability to make different choices, but refused to do so, resulting in increasingly serious criminal conduct and substantial losses to his victims.”

The case was investigated as part of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, which was recently selected as a lead prosecutorial partner on the task force. The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

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

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Beer Load Shifts Forward and Breaks Through Trailer Wall When Cleveland Tractor-Trailer Brakes at Intersection; Beer Spills Across Street, Cleanup Takes Hours

By
Kristina
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CLEVELAND, OHIO — A tractor-trailer carrying beer created a mess on a Cleveland roadway Thursday morning after the cargo shifted forward when the driver braked at an intersection, rupturing the front wall of the trailer and spilling its contents onto the street.

The incident occurred at approximately 8:20 a.m. on May 7 on Keith Street. The westbound tractor-trailer was attempting to stop at an intersection when the load shifted forward with enough force to break through the trailer’s front wall. No injuries were reported.

Cleanup crews were expected to remain on scene for several hours. Drivers were asked to avoid the area.

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Massachusetts Truck Driver Cited After Entering Active Work Zone on New York Thruway and Striking Concrete Barrier and Parked Pickup With Worker Inside — Ignored Lane Change Signs, Speed a Factor

By
Kristina
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MARCY, NEW YORK — A Massachusetts truck driver was injured Thursday morning after her tractor-trailer failed to follow lane change signs, entered an active work zone on the New York State Thruway in Oneida County, struck a concrete barrier, and then collided with a parked pickup truck occupied by a worker inside the zone.

New York State Police troopers assigned to SP Schuyler responded shortly after 6 a.m. on May 7, 2026, to the crash on the eastbound lanes of the Thruway in the town of Marcy.

Katherine W. Swain, 63, of Halifax, Massachusetts, was driving a 2019 Volvo tractor-trailer eastbound when she failed to obey posted road signs directing traffic to change lanes before entering the active work zone. The tractor-trailer struck a concrete barrier and continued through the work zone before colliding with a parked 2020 Toyota pickup truck occupied by Andrew Pryslopski, 48, of Little Falls, New York.

Swain was transported by ambulance to Wynn Hospital in Utica with non-life-threatening injuries. Pryslopski was transported to the same hospital by a third party with non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigators determined that speed appeared to be a contributing factor in the crash. Swain was issued citations for vehicle and traffic law violations and is scheduled to appear in Marcy Town Court at a later date.

State Police used the crash as a reminder that construction season is underway and urged all drivers to slow down, obey posted work zone speed limits, and remain alert while traveling through construction areas.

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

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Canadian Tow Truck Driver Skips Two Jobs to Rescue Baby Moose Stuck in Ice, Loads Him on Deck, Wraps Him in Blankets, and Names Him ‘Rebel’ — Moose Later Reunited With Mother

By
Kristina
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KELVINGTON, SASKATCHEWAN — A Canadian tow truck driver made an unexpected detour on his way to two out-of-town jobs on April 26 when he spotted a baby moose stuck in approximately four feet of water and ice near his home — and decided he simply could not leave the animal behind.

Rebel Towing

Clint Gottinger, owner of Rebel Towing in Kelvington, Saskatchewan, was heading out for work around 5:30 p.m. when he came across the exhausted moose close to his home. He backed his truck as close to the water as he could, slid his deck out to the moose, and carefully placed a soft sling around the animal’s head. The moose, too tired to resist, allowed Gottinger to work around him.

Rebel Towing

With the help of a neighbor, Gottinger loaded the moose onto the deck of his tow truck and transported him to safety. He called his wife on the way back to the house with an unusual request — bring blankets. She met him in the driveway, confused but ready. The moose sat on the deck wrapped in warm blankets, cold, wet, and exhausted.

Gottinger’s out-of-town customers were understanding about the delay. He nicknamed the moose Rebel — after his own company.

Rebel Towing

Over the next day, the moose rested on Gottinger’s property, alternating between standing, moving around, and lying down to recover. He even accepted some head scratches before trotting back into the trees on April 28. Gottinger joked that the moose left without paying his bill.

The story had a happy ending. On May 8, Gottinger spotted the baby moose with his mother, healthy and moving through the snow about two kilometers from where he had been rescued. “Acted like he owed me money,” Gottinger wrote in a caption accompanying the update video.

The photos and video went viral on social media, drawing an outpouring of comments from people moved by the rescue. “Smart and kind. That’s more of what we need in the world. Well done,” one commenter wrote.

Story courtesy of local media.

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Arizona DPS Announces International Roadcheck Locations — I-17 and I-40 in Northern Arizona Targeted May 12-14 With Focus on Cargo Securement and ELD Tampering

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Kristina
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NORTHERN ARIZONA — The Arizona Commercial Vehicle Safety Partnership will participate in the annual International Roadcheck inspection blitz Tuesday through Thursday, May 12-14, 2026, conducting enforcement operations along Interstate 17 and Interstate 40 in northern Arizona.

The ACVSP — comprising Arizona Department of Public Safety Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Bureau troopers and Arizona Department of Transportation Enforcement and Compliance Division officers — will operate at the following locations: I-17 from McGuireville to Flagstaff, I-40 from Flagstaff to the Parks rest areas, and ports of entry throughout northern Arizona.

International Roadcheck is the largest targeted commercial vehicle enforcement program in the world, led by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. During the 72-hour operation, CVSA-certified inspectors across the United States, Canada, and Mexico inspect commercial motor vehicles and drivers at weigh and inspection stations, designated inspection areas, and along roadways.

This year’s two focus areas are cargo securement and electronic logging device tampering and falsification.

Drivers and carriers are encouraged to conduct pre-trip inspections, ensure all documentation is in order, and address any mechanical issues before getting on the road.

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Mexican Truck Driver Loses Visa and Has Trailer Towed After Caught Hauling Freight Between Arizona and Texas — Border Patrol Warns Industry: ‘Cabotage Laws Are Not Optional’

By
Kristina
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TUCSON, ARIZONA — U.S. Border Patrol is putting the trucking industry on notice that cabotage laws will be enforced after a Mexican national truck driver had his visitor visa revoked, was processed by authorities, and had his trailer towed after being caught transporting commodities from Nogales, Arizona to Laredo, Texas.

USBP Tucson Sector issued the warning on May 8. The driver held a Mexican national visitor visa and was found to have violated multiple federal statutes by hauling freight between two domestic U.S. points — a clear violation of cabotage law. As a result, his visa was revoked, he was processed, and his trailer was towed.

“Cabotage laws are not optional and violations can be costly. When carriers or drivers are found in violation of federal transportation, immigration, and customs regulations, it leads to serious penalties and loss of privileges, to include immigration consequences or future entry restrictions,” USBP said.

Cabotage laws restrict foreign carriers and drivers from transporting goods between two points within the United States, reserving domestic freight movement for U.S. companies and workers. The incident follows a similar enforcement action in March 2026, when a Mexican truck driver’s B1/B2 visa was revoked after he was found hauling produce from Yuma, Arizona to Grandview, Washington.

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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Oregon Man Sues Tow Company for Nearly $1 Million After Tow Driver Ran Over His Leg While Trying to Drive Off With His Car — Oregon Law Required Free Release of Vehicle, Police Report Said Incident Never Had to Happen

By
Kristina
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GRESHAM, OREGON — A Portland-area man has filed a nearly $1 million lawsuit against Elite Towing and one of its drivers after the driver allegedly ran over his leg and foot during a heated dispute over whether the company was legally required to release his vehicle — and according to state law, it was.

Clenton Jenkins III was visiting a friend at the Highland View Apartments in Gresham on May 1, 2024, when he spotted a tow truck driver in the process of hooking up his car. Jenkins asked the driver, Danny Closser, to stop. During the exchange, Closser attempted to drive off, knocking Jenkins to the ground and running over his foot and leg with the rear tires of the truck. Closser initially told Jenkins he was not running over him. Jenkins yelled for Closser to back up. Closser eventually did, then called his supervisor, detached Jenkins’ car, and drove away without charging anything. He handed Jenkins a generic business card before leaving.

Closser was not charged with any criminal wrongdoing. The lawsuit does not allege the injury was intentional.

The Law Was on Jenkins’ Side

A 2011 Gresham city code — later incorporated into Oregon state law in 2018 — states that if a tow truck driver has not finished hooking up a vehicle when the owner arrives, the driver must release the vehicle for free. If the vehicle is already fully hooked up but the driver has not yet left, the driver must release it for a fee. The police report noted the incident never had to happen, referencing that law directly.

The Injuries and Financial Impact

Jenkins’ attorney, Travis Mayor, said Jenkins was familiar with the towing industry, having previously worked in an administrative role for a tow company — though not as a driver. At the time of the incident, Jenkins was working as a mover and as a contractor at the Bonneville Power Administration. He had to stop working because of his injuries and has not fully recovered.

A medical report indicates Jenkins’ heavily swollen foot and lower leg may have suffered bone marrow edema — commonly known as bone bruising. An MRI taken more than two months after the incident also showed possible bone fractures in his foot. His medical bills total more than $100,000 and he has lost more than $150,000 in wages due to his inability to work. The lawsuit was filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court.

Elite Towing’s History

Elite Towing has faced scrutiny before. In 2025, the Portland city ombudsman found the company was charging an average of approximately $1,900 per tow — about 4.5 times the rate other city-contracted tow companies charged. Elite Towing later voluntarily lowered its rates.

The lawsuit is not the only ongoing litigation against Portland-area tow companies. A $617,000 lawsuit filed in 2025 against a Clackamas County tow truck driver who allegedly beat a man he mistook for a homeless person is headed for trial later this year. In 2024, a Multnomah County Circuit Court jury awarded nearly $1.2 million after a Retriever Towing manager slugged a customer trying to recover his daughter’s wrongfully towed car from a Salem impound lot.

Elite Towing, Closser, and the company’s attorney did not respond to requests for comment.

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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