Driver tried to switch seats during commercial vehicle traffic stop that yielded 15 charges, police say
More than a dozen charges were issued following a recent commercial vehicle traffic stop in Ontario.
The traffic stop occurred on Sunday, July 13, along Highway 17 in Marathon, Ontario.
Officers with the Marathon Division of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) stopped a commercial truck hauling a livestock trailer and “observed the driver and passenger attempting to switch seats in an apparent effort to hide the fact that the driver wasn’t properly licensed to operate the CMV.”
“Additionally, neither individual could provide valid insurance, daily logs, or pre-trip inspection reports,” OPP said.
Police issued fifteen charges for various violations to the two individuals and one company.
According to an OPP news release, an 18 year old from Southgate Township, was charged with the following offenses:
- Driver of commercial motor vehicle – fail to surrender proof of insurance
- Fail to surrender completed daily inspection report
- Fail to surrender daily log
- Drive commercial motor vehicle without required inspection
- Drive commercial motor vehicle with air brake – no endorsement
- Drive commercial motor vehicle – improper license
- Drive commercial motor vehicle with no ELD
A 41 year old passenger from Dundalk was charged with:
- Fail to accurately complete daily inspection report
- Smoke in forest area while walking or working
- Hold lighted tobacco in prohibited place
Police charged the CMV operating company with:
- Fail to equip commercial motor vehicle with ELD as required
- Fail to ensure daily inspection is conducted properly
- Permit operation of vehicles with air brakes – no endorsement on license
- Permit person with improper license to drive commercial motor vehicle
- Fail to equip commercial motor vehicle with required ELD information packet
The traffic stop coincided with the first day of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Operation Safe Driver Week, a seven-day traffic enforcement effort targeting violations by commercial and passenger vehicle drivers. Operation Safe Driver Week runs July 13 — 19, 2025, in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.