An Ohio-based trucker has been ordered to not operate any commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce after having struck and killed two people in two separate incidences in the last six months.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration declared Doug A. Jones to be an imminent hazard to public safety and was served the federal order on Dec. 27.
The FMCSA reports:
On July 2, 2018, Jones struck a man who was standing near his disabled vehicle on the right shoulder of Interstate 81 in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. Jones was charged with: careless driving causing death of another person; driving a vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions; driving outside of a single lane before ascertaining if the movement can be made safely; and failing to wear a properly adjusted and fastened safety belt system.
On December 7, 2018, Jones drove his truck onto the fog line (the white line designating the roadway shoulder) striking a highway construction worker who was standing next to a parked vehicle along U.S. 33 in Union County, Ohio. After striking the construction worker, Jones did not stop but continued to drive. The case remains under investigation by Union County law enforcement officials.
FMCSA’s imminent hazard out-of-service order to Jones states, “Your continued operation of a [commercial motor vehicle] substantially increases the likelihood of serious injury or death to you and the motoring public if not discontinued immediately.”
According to the FMCSA, failure to comply with the provisions of a federal imminent hazard out-of-service order may result in action by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Civil penalties of up to $1,848 may be assessed for each day a CMV is operated in violation of the order.
