A Dallas trucker says that he was ambushed near Edinburg, held at gunpoint, and forced to transport narcotics.
The drugs were discovered by authorities at the Falfurrias checkpoint on US 281 around 2 a.m. on March 16th. The truck driver, Jeffrey Adrian Richard, was carrying 2 pounds of cocaine and 265 pounds of marijuana.
Truck Driver Alleges He Was Held At Gunpoint
Richard claims that he was ambushed after parking his truck along US 281. He says that he was texting a friend while parked when he felt the trailer move. He said that at first he thought it was the wind, but when he got out to double check that the trailer was still padlocked, a Hispanic male told him to put his hands up.
Richard says he fell to his knees and surrendered his wallet. The gunman allegedly took photos of Richard’s drivers license and made a phone call in Spanish. A few minutes later, according to the driver’s story, a car pulled up and several black bundles were loaded into the trailer. Richard claims the gunman told him to drive north.
Texas Agents Question Trucker’s Story
Authorities at the checkpoint found 9 mm pistol and two 30-round magazines inside Richard’s cab. They also found evidence of tampering with the screws under the bed inside. The driver was questioned as to why he failed to take his gun with him when he went to check the lock. He was also questioned as to why he didn’t call 911 after the incident. Richard said that he was afraid because the gunman had a photo of his license with an address that could be traced back to his home address.
Authorities said that Richard became upset when they questioned his story and stopped the interview because he did not have a lawyer present. He is in custody until his hearing. He has yet not retained an attorney.
Source:
The Monitor