Action in four trucking-related crimes has recently been reported by local media outlets in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Idaho and Alberta, Canada.
Trucking co. owner charged in Canadian hockey team tragedy
The owner of an Alberta, Canada-based trucking company that was involved in the high-profile truck-bus crash earlier this year that killed 16 members of the Humboldt Broncos hockey team has been charged with non-compliance with federal and provincial safety regulations, according to a report from the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.
The report says Sukhmander Singh, owner of Adesh Deol Trucking, was charged with failure to maintain logs, failure to monitor the compliance of a driver, having more than one daily log for any day and failure to have or follow a written safety program.
The driver of the truck was charged earlier this year with 16 counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death and 13 counts of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm.
Former trucker sentenced for role in defrauding trucking company
Miguel Vidal, of Jersey City, New Jersey, was recently sentenced to six months in jail and ordered to pay nearly $1 million in restitution for his role in a payroll scheme against a New Jersey-based trucking company, according to a report by NJ.com.
Vidal, a former truck driver for Clifford B. Finkle Jr. Inc., was initially arrested in June 2016 and has since pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He and his two brothers allegedly admitted to participating in a payroll scheme that defrauded the company out of more than $900,000. A payroll clerk for the company allegedly falsified records in order to generate fraudulent checks.
Trucking company employee accused of stealing $400k
Pittsburgh CBS affiliate KDKA reports James Perry Jr., of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, is accused of stealing more than $400,000 from R&R Express and using the money to pay for adult entertainment, sports tickets and more.
The report alleges Perry had been stealing money since April 2015 by using a computer program to process R&R customer’s payments and redirecting them into his own bank account. He would then reportedly write the customers’ accounts off as “bad debt,” and the company would typically take the loss.
Trucker cited for spilling sulfuric acid in Idaho
An Idaho-based trucker was transporting a load of 93-98 percent sulfuric acid on Sept. 27 when he noticed the tank was leaking. A report from the Idaho State Journal reports Brent Carlson, of Pocatello, Idaho, continued driving before stopping and trying to stop the leak, spilling about 60 gallons of acid in the process.
Carlson was cited for allowing the release of a hazardous material.