A commercial driver who ignored an out-of-service order before he caused a collision has been declared an imminent hazard by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Tennessee-licensed commercial driver Kristopher Anthony Adams was served with a federal order on June 23.
He is banned from operating any commercial motor vehicle (CMV) in interstate commerce because of his “blatant and egregious violations” and his “disregard for the safety” of the motoring public, according to an FMCSA release.
FMCSA out-of-service order
On June 9, Adams was operating a tractor-trailer in Adair County, Kentucky, when his vehicle drifted into the opposing lane and collided with another vehicle, the release states. At the time of the crash, Adams was operating in violation of an out-of-service order he received less than 24 hours earlier.
While operating his truck in Branch County, Michigan, Adams bypassed an open weigh station on June 8. Stopped by a Michigan State Police officer, Adams admitted to the use earlier in the day of a Schedule II drug, a violation of federal safety regulations, according to the FMCSA. He was immediately ordered out-of-service.
Despite the Michigan out-of-service order, Adams continued operating his commercial vehicle leading up to the June 9 crash in Kentucky.
Pre-employment screening
In March 2020, during a federally mandated pre-employment drug and alcohol screening test, Adams tested positive for methamphetamine and amphetamine, the release states. Adams thereby became disqualified from operating a CMV until such time he successfully completed a statutorily required return-to-duty process overseen by a Substance Abuse Professional.
In a blatant disregard of federal controlled substances prohibitions, the FMCSA release states, Adams continued to operate a commercial motor vehicle. In August 2020, he was involved in a single-vehicle crash in Kentucky. Three months later, he was subjected to two separate unannounced roadside inspections in Georgia and received citations for safety violations on both occasions.
Failing to comply with the provisions of the federal imminent hazard order may result in civil penalties of up to $1,951 for each violation. Knowing and/or willful violations may result in criminal penalties.
