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April cover story: Risky Business
April 13, 2011
| by: Carolyn Magner
Minimize your chances of becoming a victim of crime on the road
It was still dark outside the morning of Feb.17, when Truman Lee Smith arrived at the food warehouse in East St. Louis for a delivery.
He was at least an hour-and-a-half early, and reports say he exited his truck to push the gate buzzer. That’s when a gunman shot the former Marine, who served in Operation Desert Storm, in the chest in an apparent robbery attempt in front of the Fresh Warehousing building.
Police responded to a 911 call and arrived shortly before 6 a.m. to find the trucker lying next to his truck. Smith, from Irondale, Mo., a divorced father of three children and three stepchildren, died later at the hospital. He drove for E&K Truck Services based in St. Clair, Mo., and had been trucking for seven years. St. Louis Police Detective Orlando Ward was one of the first responders. “Here you have a guy who served his country in a war and dies in such a senseless way,” Ward says. “He was a true victim, and we are pulling out all the stops to find his murderer.” Ward interviewed truckers at area truckstops about the crime. “Everyone I talked to said they were extremely upset to hear about the murder. They felt like they had lost one of their own.”
Internet message boards filled with notes of support for his family and grief over the senseless death. One site, DriversAlike.net, encouraged drivers to sign Smith’s guestbook and to read the attacked truckers section, a collection of news reports of violence against truckers around the country. Long-haul trucker Lee and his wife, Danielle [who requested their last name not be used], run the site and say their mission is to raise public awareness of the safety issues faced by their fellow drivers. They are passionate supporters of the passage of Jason’s Law, pending legislation to allocate funds for more safe parking and rest areas, result of another trucker tragically killed on the job. Two years ago, Jason Rivenburg, 35, of Fultonham, N.Y., like Smith, arrived early at the receiver’s. He had to park and wait at a nearby abandoned gas station, where he was shot and killed by Willie Pelzer for the $7 he had on him. He left behind his wife, Hope, and three small children.
The FBI’s preliminary annual crime statistics for 2010 show violent crime in the United States decreased by 6.2 percent compared to 2009, but nobody tracks crimes specifically against truckers. While truckers like Smith and Rivenburg likely never had a chance, security experts say you can minimize your risk for becoming a crime victim on the job.
“The shortage of safe parking is a concern we hope will be rectified with the passing of Jason’s Law.”
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Its about time somebody says it out loud (in print)…The myth about no firearms in CMV’s has lived too long, and gotten enough drivers killed!
Its complicated to follow every jurisdictions laws and ordinances…but it CAN be done!
I agree FULLY with you Lynn. The article is out of this world! It tells everything we have been trying to get out to the truckers and then some.
GREAT ARTICLE! PEOPLE NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON OUT THERE AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT IT! THANKS!!!!
I was jumped by 5 guys in Tulsa, OK, one night, and was badly beaten. The cops arrived and asked me why I didn’t shoot them. They couldn’t believe I didn’t have a gun.
I bought one within the week and took it everywhere I went. Almost used it twice on two would be attackers. I hauled in and out of New York, on numerous occaisions, knowing full well that if I got caught in either NY, or NJ, that the penalty could be severe.
I think its BS that the 2nd Amendment doesn’t apply in all 50 States. I think the time is way overdue for CDL drivers to be permitted to carry legally.
Oh by the way in all the years that I carried on the road, there was not one accidental discharge, or any other gun related crime comitted.
[...] Crime against truckers Posted on April 15, 2011 by admin tweetmeme_style = 'compact';tweetmeme_url='http://mommadonna.roadproservices.com/2011/04/crime-against-truckers/';Crime on the road is always a serious topic, and it’s been getting a lot of discussion lately. You can read the latest on it in the May cover story of Overdrive’s sister publication, Truckers News. [...]
Truman was my boyfriend’s best friend. They both worked for E&K together for a few years… not a day went by that they didn’t talk or text to each other.
This senseless act occurred because Truman only had 21 cents on him. Truman’s death has devastated his family and his friends, as he was bigger than life and a happy guy… always left you with a smile and in a better mood.
The East St. Louis BLEW their biggest leads…and now there is little chance of them finding and convicting Truman’s killer. ESL police dept is a joke… and the state police are supposedly helping with the investigation, but chances of them catching the killer now grow weaker and weaker with each passing day… sigh.
Personally I think that truckers should be allowed to carry firearms to protect themselves, but most states do not allow it and if you get caught, not only will you not be driving anymore, but could go to prison for it…
Please accept my sympathy for your loss. From all accounts, he was a stand-up guy. What a terrible loss.
[...] http://www.truckersnews.com/risky-business-2/ [...]
[...] read your story( http://www.truckersnews.com/risky-business-2/) about protecting yourself on the road and have decided to get a dog. My wife is all for it but we [...]
It is your moral obligation to protect yourself.our law enforcement do the best they can,often by the time someone can call and they arrive is after the crime.PROTECT YOURSELF.
Sorry for the loss of a great man, who served his country and was doing his job to support his kids. a great website truckers and motorist can take advantage of is bConcerned.com, they monitor your safe return home!
Everyone talking about carry laws is almost a joke.If your going to carry your going to have to do it without permission,for one very obvious reason.I do believe that one day you will be able to carry across state lines but,the trucking companies will never allow it,they are to busy messing with drivers and trying to get drivers to drive for nothing,the last thing they want is a driver with a gun,the very last thing.
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