Always Trust Your Gut

By Sgt. Justin Willis, Commercial Motor Vehicle Enforcement Section, Public Service Commission of West Virginia

In the world of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) enforcement, we often think of inspections and routine day-to-day activities. However, on May 14, during the CVSA’s International Roadcheck, I, along with Cpl. Jack Woods of the West Virginia State Police – CMV Enforcement Section and his K-9 partner, found ourselves in a situation much deeper than just a routine CMV inspection. I was working the second shift post at the Bluestone Travel Plaza located on the West Virginia Turnpike on I-77. During my shift, which began at 3 p.m., I was training an officer who was conducting Level III Inspections. As the evening progressed, I didn’t realize I was about to uncover something much deeper than a violation.

I was standing at the cones that blocked off the parking lot area where CMVs would drive by so officers could determine which vehicles to inspect. Around 5 p.m., just two hours into my shift, I observed a white tractor-trailer entering the area and decided to pull it for a random inspection. As the tractor-trailer approached, the driver appeared to ignore me and pass by without stopping. I ran across the parking lot to chase down the truck and make the driver pull into the inspection area. The driver positioned his truck at an angled position instead of pulling into the marked parking area. He rolled down his window and left the truck running.

I advised the driver that I would be conducting a Level II Inspection and asked him to open the door so I could gather his documents.

At this point, I began noticing several things that indicated that this was something more than a random inspection. As I started the driver interview, the driver began sweating profusely. I observed the air conditioning was on high, and the cab was extremely cold, so the driver should not have been sweating. After gathering information about the load, the driver got out of the truck, under the guise of throwing away trash, but he was looking around the area, specifically into a wooded area with a field nearby. I asked the driver to get back in his truck, and while I waited for him to return, I went back in my cruiser to run the driver’s information through the Commercial Driver’s License Information System.

The query came back as not eligible on his commercial status, as well as not eligible on his regular driver’s license. I called 911 to check with the dispatcher on the status of the driver and perform a warrant search. Meanwhile, I continued to observe the driver’s behavior as I made my phone calls. The driver exited the truck several more times, changing his shoes and looking across to the wooded area. Cpl. Woods and his K-9 stuck close by to assist if needed.

I received a response from the dispatcher, inquiring, "Sir, are you secure?" – and in this moment, I knew I had run across something more serious than just a suspended operator. The driver had a full extradition warrant from Kentucky. I requested the dispatcher send off for a hit confirmation and extradition confirmation, and I asked Cpl. Woods to run his K-9 to check the vehicle, as the warrant didn’t have charge information initially available. The dispatcher notified me that they did have confirmation, and they would do a full extradition. It turns out the driver was wanted by the FBI Kentucky Division for multi-state wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Cpl. Woods and I took the driver into custody and turned him over to the FBI without incident.

I reaffirmed several lessons that day. Trust your gut. Prioritize officer safety. Both lessons remain paramount to CMV enforcement. Be safe, everyone.

If this motor carrier had better understood its responsibilities and liabilities, this driver and vehicle would never have been allowed to leave the yard. I can honestly say I made a difference that day on our roadways.