Trucking news and briefs for Monday, Sept. 8, 2025:
- How an ID thief came to the U.S. and lived, worked, traveled as a citizen for more than two decades, charges allege.
- Daimler can't comment on lawsuit filed against it by R&B singer killed in a crash.
- The new big addition to mobile-pay network to yield fuel discounts.
Peruvian national charged with fraud after driving commercial vehicles using stolen identity
A Peruvian citizen has been charged with immigration fraud offenses for allegedly stealing an American citizen’s identity to obtain a commercial driver’s license.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut filed a criminal complaint on Aug. 13 against Flor Consuelo Del Carmen Caballero Bernabe.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, Caballero Bernabe traveled to the U.S. in 2000 on a non-immigrant visa and subsequently began using the identity and social security number (SSN) of a U.S. citizen to reside, work and maintain a CDL in Connecticut. Caballero Bernabe also used the fraudulent identity and SSN to apply for a U.S. passport in 2005, renew it in 2015, and use it to travel internationally.
This investigation began after the individual whose identity Caballero Bernabe had originally stolen allegedly applied to the Social Security Administration (SSA) seeking Social Security Disability benefits in 2022. SSA informed the individual that a person in Connecticut had been earning income using the same SSN.
It was further alleged that Caballero Bernabe used a CDL to operate commercial motor vehicles for Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration-regulated entities. Caballero Bernabe allegedly made false statements on an FMCSA-administered medical examination form to maintain the CDL.
The complaint charges Caballero Bernabe with passport application fraud, misuse of a passport, making a false claim of U.S. citizenship, misuse of a Social Security account number, aggravated identity theft, and making false statements.
The Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG) is conducting this investigation with Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, SSA-OIG, and Homeland Security Investigations.
[Related: With ID theft on the rise, guarding your trucking business is a necessity]
Daimler Truck named in lawsuit over R&B singer’s death
Two children of R&B singer Angie Stone are suing Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), among others, over the crash that killed her earlier this year.
The driver of a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van in which Stone, 63, and her bandmates and entourage traveled lost control of the vehicle in the early hours of March 1 on I-65 near Montgomery, Alabama. The van flipped over, but most of the occupants managed to escape before the van was struck by a 2021 Freightliner Cascadia, operated by CRST, killing Stone.
Diamond Stone and Michael D'Angelo Archer, two of Stone's children, filed the suit. Included are the van driver, the truck driver, the owners of the van and the truck, and DTNA. The suit alleges the truck's collision avoidance system was faulty and failed to detect the van laying in the interstate.
"We extend our sincere condolences to the victims of this incident and their families during this difficult time," DTNA said in a statement to Overdrive sister publication Trucks, Parts, Service. "We cannot comment on pending litigation at this time."
The suit further claims the truck driver was listening to music on headphones, wasn't paying attention and did not brake before hitting the van at 70 mph, killing Stone. Everyone else in the van survived.
The Detroit Assurance 5.0 advanced driver assistance systems included on the 2021 Cascadia include:
- Adaptive cruise control to 0 mph, which automatically accelerates and decelerates the truck to maintain a safe following distance.
- Active Brake Assist 5.0, which provides full braking should a moving pedestrian enter the truck's path. It issues visual and audible warnings to alert the driver with partial emergency braking. If the driver doesn't act, the system brings the truck to a full stop.
- Automatic wipers and headlamps, intelligent high beams and traffic sign displays.
- An optional feature is Side Guard Assist, which detects objects in the passenger-side blind spot along the full length of the tractor and trailer.
Stone was a singer-songwriter who created No. 1 hit "No More Rain (In This Cloud)" and "Baby" with Betty Wright, "Wish I Didn't Miss You" and "Brotha." --Beth Colvin, TPS
Circle K joins Relay Payments network
Relay Payments has announced a new partnership with Circle K stores, bringing its digital payment service to more than 500 truck-accessible Circle K locations across the country.
The launch gives truck drivers a new way to pay at the pump and in-store, the company said, helping fleets fuel faster and more securely.
Drivers can use Relay at the pump or inside Circle K stores to pay for fuel, DEF, and other in-store purchases. Fleets that have negotiated their own discounts with Circle K can continue using them when paying with Relay. Fleets that do not have their own negotiated discount with Circle K can take advantage of Relay’s discounted pricing at Circle K locations.
“This partnership with Relay helps us deliver on a key priority -- making fueling more seamless and secure for professional drivers,” said Reno Øhlenschlaeger, vice president of global B2B mobility at Circle K. “By joining Relay’s digital payment network, we’re giving our fleet customers even more ways to pay quickly and get back on the road.”
Circle K’s expanding network adds to Relay’s fuel network, Relay said, now spaning more than 3,000 locations and supporting more than 500,000 drivers and carriers nationwide.
“Our goal is to modernize every part of the over-the-road payment experience,” said Ryan Droege, CEO and co-founder of Relay Payments. “Circle K’s rapidly expanding network is a strong fit for the carriers and drivers who use Relay. Together, we’re giving drivers more places to fuel with confidence.”
