The FMCSA has put the brakes on a Kentucky-based dump truck driver after he admitted to using drugs before leading police on a pursuit the wrong way on I-24.
Driver Dalton McCoy Lampley, 23, was issued the federal out of service order on March 31 for an incident earlier in the month that also led to multiple criminal charges.
On March 17, McCracken County police received numerous calls about a dump truck going the wrong direction on I-24, colliding with 8 vehicles. The McCracken County Sheriff’s Department attempted to stop the truck, but Lampley refused to pull over. The Kentucky State Police joined in the pursuit. Lampley led the chase to Calvert City, where a police officer had placed stop strips in the roadway in an attempt to disable the truck. According the the FMCSA, “Lampley changed lanes and drove his truck directly at the police officer who escaped injury.”
From the McCracken County Sheriff’s Department, “Placing spike strips (tire deflating device) in front of a fleeing vehicle is extremely dangerous, and even more so in front of an suspected 50,000 lb truck running at you at 70 plus mph….
This pursuit was getting more and more dangerous by the second as it was approaching the US Hwy 62 intersection. If the truck made it to that intersection and made a right turn, it would have been pointed back and traveling towards MCCracken County again.
McCracken Sheriffs Capt. JT Coleman risked his life today to successfully spike strip that out of control 50,000 lb rocket. Capt. Coleman got out of his patrol car in the path of the truck that was recklessly weaving from shoulder to shoulder running approx 70mph, and threw a set of spike strips out into the roadway successfully getting 4 tires on the right side of this truck.”
The stop strips disabled the dump truck and police were soon able to take Lampley into custody. After his arrest, Lampley admitted to using a Schedule II controlled substance earlier that day and for several days leading up to the pursuit.
Six people were injured during the incident.
Lamprey was charged with reckless driving, assault, criminal mischief and resisting arrest, first degree endangerment of a police officer, first offense driving under the influence, irst degree possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.