Following a nine-vehicle, six fatality crash on June 25, 2015 along Interstate 75 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) declared Kentucky-licensed truck driver Benjamin Scott Brewer to be an imminent hazard to public safety and has ordered him not to operate any commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce.

Brewer, a commercial driver’s license (CDL) holder, was served the federal order on July 19, 2015.

Falsified records

An ongoing post-crash investigation by FMCSA investigators revealed that Brewer had falsified his records-of-duty status in the days leading up to the crash, specifically reporting that he had been off-duty from June 15 until 7:00 a.m. on June 25. The vehicle tracking system used by his employer, along with other records, shows that Brewer had been on-duty and driving on June 22, 23, and 24.

Accidents, controlled substances

Brewer’s application for employment, dated June 16, 2015, and which required him to list all accidents and traffic convictions occurring in the previous three years, omitted a June 2013 crash and a January 2015 citation for speeding 16-20 miles-per-hour above the limit. In May 2015, Brewer tested positive for controlled substances following a court-order controlled substances test.

FMCSA will continue to assist the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is leading the investigation into the June 25, 2015, crash.