Posted on 07/02/2011 7:43:08 PM PDT by Former Fetus
DURHAM -- State troopers say the driver of a tractor-trailer was under the influence of marijuana and methadone when his vehicle caused a crash on Interstate 40 that killed three people Thursday.
Ronald Eugene Graybeal, 50, is in the Durham County jail after being charged with driving while impaired and three counts of felony death by vehicle.
Graybeal, of 306 Elena Lane in Newport, Tenn., is a convicted rapist and burglar, according to court records.
He was driving a truck owned by an East Tennessee company that has been cited for dozens of violations related to fatigued drivers and unsafe driving, according to federal inspection records.
The accident killed the drivers of three other vehicles: John Paul Llanio, 38, of Kannapolis; Barbara Boda Caldwell, 64, of Mebane; and Gary Dwayne Smith, 45, of Burlington.
Emergency workers transported a fourth motorist, Reginald Keith Thompson, 49, of Greensboro, to Duke Hospital, where he was treated for injuries not considered life-threatening, said 1st Sgt. Jeff Gordon, a Highway Patrol spokesman.
Troopers searching Graybeal's truck found the drugs and drug paraphernalia, Gordon said.
Graybeal's tractor-trailer was traveling west on the interstate, near the U.S. 15-501 overpass, when it collided with a Ford F-250 pickup truck driven by Llanio. The tractor-trailer then crashed into a 2008 Chevrolet Equinox driven by Caldwell.
After that, the tractor-trailer slammed into a car that burst into flames. The car, burned so badly that troopers could not determine its make and model, was occupied by Smith, Gordon said. The tractor-trailer continued on before striking a truck that was driven by Thompson, Gordon said.
Graybeal is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail, Gordon said.
Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/07/02/1316002/drugs-found-in-drivers-truck.html#ixzz1R0NqigCc
(Excerpt) Read more at newsobserver.com ...
I’ll leave that to God.
Felons can get CDLs, although probably not a hazmat license, which is a good thing IMHO, since even felons need a job once they served their time.
As for the company, reading through that list of infractions didn’t alarm me much. I drove for a company that had one truck, and I was the poor sucker that had to drive it, and it was a POS. Every time I got pulled over (troopers dont need a reason, they can pull over trucks at will) they found at least one safety infraction, usually nothing worse than a light on the trailer being out, but they can add up. I guess I got 20 tickets in a year driving that truck, and none from speeding or anything driver related. Eventually I talked them into getting a newer truck, and never got another ticket.
With trucks, there are at least 50 things than can get a driver a ticket, and if their employer doesn’t have a good truck, or isn’t willing to fix the one they have, the driver has a choice, fix it himself if possible, drive it anyway and hope for the best, or refuse to drive it, and get replaced. With this economy, it’s not always an easy choice. :-/
Tougher laws for DUI’s..longer sentences for homocide..Tougher enforcement of truck driving regulations.
In Germany, you get caught ONE time with a DUI and you lose your license for life and the penalties are very tough.
The Drug Culture . . another “victimless” contribution by the political left
How about truck stop random drug tests...though in this case, if its not alcohol, methadone and most drugs would need other tests than a breathylizer.
But the company could mandate tougher drugs tests.
Oh, I know. I drive part-time for extra money. I was just baffled at the sheer level of fail going on in those first few sentences. Reminded me of that old “Bus full of nuns holding babies” song.
“How about truck stop random drug tests”
I’m a bit surprised they aren’t doing that already.
It’s hard to find any driving job anymore that doesn’t drug test on a regular basis, for insurance reasons if nothing else. One good wreck by a driver under the influence can ruin a company.
I would actually prefer to drive for a company with a strick drug policy, it would make me feel better about a company like that. Trucks weigh way too much to have some moron high on something driving them. It’s hard enough to keep them on the road at times when sober.
Some clinics still issue it in liquid form. Others show you the tablets, and then dissolve them in Tang or some other juice. It would be insane to hand out 40-mg wafers or even dolophines to junkies. Announce where that is being done, and you will have a mass exodus of junkies who will relocate to that area.
Alcohol is much worse than marijuana. Just ask a cop.
DOT drivers are part of a drug testing program that includes random testing. This guy either wasn’t very random or was lucky...... or gamed the system.
A friend’s son made it thru the latest economic turmoil because he was about the only one at his company who could consistently pass a urine test. Makes me feel good when a “England” rig passes me by on the interstate, not.
A driver can be “impaired” by pot, alcohol, cocaine, heroin, lack of sleep, methadone, foot cramps, and about 40 other things, half of which are legal. To use this accident to try to make a point about pot is foolish.
“England” is infamous. If you have one arm and part of one leg, you can drive for them. lol
And they’re owned by mormons, aren’t they?
Duh, the last I heard, it was and is law, that all companies have random drug tests for CDL holders.
Brutal wreck. Prayers for the victims’ families. The East Tennessee company is at fault for “dozens of violations.” Crime doesn’t pay.
Brutal wreck. Prayers for the victims’ families. The East Tennessee company is at fault for “dozens of violations.” Crime doesn’t pay.
Brutal wreck. Prayers for the victims’ families. The East Tennessee company is at fault for “dozens of violations.” Crime doesn’t pay.
Sorry for the three posts. Can’t seem to avoid the problem no matter how much I try.
Fatigued drivers are VERY COMMON in big rigs.
I woul be shocked if even half the logbooks reflect the true hours driven ,rest time and so on.This has been going on for decades.Trucking companies push the drivers to move the load and ignore the regulations.I’ve seen it personally .
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.