The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has declared Kentucky licensed truck driver, Scotty R. Kinmon, 28, an immediate danger to public safety today.
Kinmon was ordered to not operate any commercial motor vehicle (CMV) after being served a federal order on December 4, 2017.
Under The Influence, Behind The Wheel
On July 24, 2017, police officers in Cincinnati, Ohio, responded to an emergency call and found Kinmon slumped over in the cab of his commercial vehicle. Kinmon had overdosed on a Schedule I controlled substance. He was arrested and found guilty of disorderly conduct by Ohio court.
Despite heroin bust, truck drivers still on road: Police arrested Scott Kinmon in the cab of his truck less than a… https://t.co/aniYXwKdS6
— Anthem AZ News (@AnthemNews) November 1, 2017
Then on August 15, 2017, Kinmon was operating a CMV in Summit County, Ohio when he was stopped by a police officer and cited for impaired driving. Kinmon failed to appear before the Ohio court on the traffic citation and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
On August 18, 2017, Kinmon was operating a CMV – with his Kentucky CDL – when his vehicle slowed down to the point where it stopped and began to roll backward. The truck rolled into the adjacent lanes on Interstate 74 in Hamilton County, Ohio, then jackknifed into the guardrail before coming to a stop. The truck came to rest with the trailer positioned perpendicular across all the westbound travel lanes, according to the news release.
One motorist who witnessed this told 911, “There is a semi-truck, and he is bouncing back and forth, like hitting one side of the wall and then coming over.”
WCPO reports that Kinmon was already driving the truck when he ingested the heroin. He then completely lost consciousness behind the wheel and jackknifed his tractor-trailer – blocking all 4 lanes of traffic.
Another 911 caller said he was unconscious and drooling when they reached him, quickly stating, “He probably needs [Narcan], he looks like my neighbor that overdosed once.”
Nearby motorists found Kinman unconscious and unresponsive inside the cab of the truck. Kinmon was treated for another overdose of Schedule I controlled substance when emergency responders arrived and then was transported to the hospital.
Kinmon was not only charged with operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, but also with failure to maintain control of his vehicle, and the operation of a commercial vehicle with under the influence of a controlled substance. The judge set his bond at $320,000.
The FMCSA imminent hazard out-of-service order states that Kinmon’s continued operation of a CMV “… substantially increases the likelihood of serious injury or death to you and the motoring public if not discontinued immediately.”
This out of service order carries penalties of up to $1,811 and may be assessed for each violation of operating a commercial motor vehicle. Kinmon also may be subject to civil punishment prior to punishment brought by the FMCSA if the service order is violated.