In Oregon, Truck Driver Arrested For Reckless Driving

Oregon State Police, Oct 31, 2006

A commercial truck driver was arrested for reckless driving east of The Dalles when an Oregon State Police (OSP) trooper and Wasco County sheriff's deputy stopped him for going 96 mph following several citizen complaints.

Several citizen's called OSP dispatch to report a large commercial truck driving at high speeds and following too close. The first report indicated the truck was eastbound on Interstate 84 near milepost 79 west of The Dalles.

OSP Trooper Andy Wanderwerf was westbound in The Dalles near milepost 85, spotted the commercial truck eastbound and obtained a radar speed of 85 mph. Trooper Wanderwerf got to the next freeway interchange to head eastbound and attempted to overtake the speeding truck but was unable to do so.

Wasco County Sheriff's Deputy Lane McGill overheard the OSP radio traffic and advised he would set up at milepost 97 (Celilo interchange). Deputy McGill observed the truck eastbound and obtained a speed reading of 96 mph.

Deputy McGill and Trooper Wanderwerf stopped the 2001 Freightliner truck towing an empty semi-trailer east of milepost 97 and contacted the driver, KENNETH L. SMITH, age 42, from Chicago, Illinois. SMITH denied driving at high speeds but did indicate he was late to pick up a load in Washington state. The truck was registered to Westwind Express Company.

Trooper Wanderwerf arrested SMITH for Reckless Driving and lodged him in the Wasco County Jail. SMITH was also cited for Truck Speeding and Failure to Maintain a Driver's Logbook.