FMCSA Declares Passenger Motor Carriers to be a Public Safety Hazard
A father and son have both been declared an imminent hazard to public safety
According to a report, the FMCSA has declared Wenceslao Cruz Marquez and his son, Hugo Cruz, to each be an imminent hazard to public safety and has ordered both not to operate any commercial motor vehicle in interstate or intrastate commerce.
The declarations come after an incident on June 18, 2016, when Cruz was driving a pick-up truck while Marquez followed behind in a 15 passenger van that was carrying 16 passengers. While in Virginia, Marquez fell asleep, causing the van to roll over six times. The back passenger seat belts were disabled, causing six passengers to be ejected from the vehicle and killed at the scene. Ten other passengers were injured, and at least three were considered seriously injured. The vehicle was also uninsured at the time of the accident.
Both drivers were operating vehicles without being properly licensed and qualified, and failed to comply with service requirements and regulations.