The FMCSA has ordered a Virginia-based truck driver out of service after he was found to be in serious violation of hours of service regulations when he caused two crashes in less than a day, killing one person and injuring several others.
Several Hurt, One Dead, In Two Crashes Within 24 Hours
According to the FMCSA, the first crash happened on June 23 around 9:30 p.m in Washington, D.C. Forty-two year old truck driver Carlos Alberto Garcia reportedly rear-ended a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority bus, causing several injuries to passengers on the bus.
Just 19 hours later, Garcia was involved in another crash on I-495 just outside of Washington, D.C. The FMCSA states that Garcia was driving a different vehicle than the day before when he crashed into the bus.
According to a statement from the Virginia State Police, “A pickup truck towing a boat had pulled off onto the median area at the split of westbound I-495 and I-95 south/I-495/I-395 north. Two males were outside the pickup truck working to re-secure the boat on the trailer when a box truck drifted into the median area. The box truck struck the boat and one of the male pedestrians, Leonard A. Schultz, 52, of Ashburn, Va. The other pedestrian, Albert Schultz IV, 24, was also struck in the impact of the crash.”
Leonard Schultz died as a result of the crash. Albert Schultz suffered life threatening injuries.
Garcia was not hurt in the crash. He was charged with reckless driving shortly after the fatal crash.
Virginia State Police Uncover Alarming HOS Regulation Violations
The FMCSA reports that during their investigation into the crash, the Virginia State Police uncovered “egregious” violations of hours of service regulations committed by Garcia: “Specifically, at the time of the crash, Garcia had been on-duty and driving for more than 103 hours over the previous eight days – with only a single 10-hour off-duty period taken.”
In addition to being declared an imminent hazard to public safety by the FMCSA, Garcia could also face civil penalties.