A former trainee at Werner Enterprises has been found guilty of murder after he stabbed his trainer multiple times.
Stanley Polk Jr. had just finished orientation and had been driving with his trainer, Ronald Ruiz, for about a week. Ruiz had called his manager multiple times asking to be reassigned. According to one of Ruiz’s four daughters, Ruiz had a bad feeling about Polk from the beginning.
“He just said this trainee was different than the other trainees,” said the daughter according to ABC25. “That there was just something off about this guy. I don’t know what he was all about but he really wanted him off the truck.”
They were at a rest stop south of Salado when the incident occurred. How it exactly happened is still unclear, but Polk stabbed Ruiz repeatedly in the chest and stomach. Ruiz fell to the ground outside the truck where a bystander tried to tend to his wounds until the ambulance arrived. Polk was picked up by authorities the next day walking on a nearby I-35 service road.
According to Polk’s testimony during the trial, Ruiz had used racial slurs and pulled a knife on him. Polk claims that he drew his own knife and acted in self-defense.
While both drivers did have knives, the jury seemed unconvinced by that argument. After deliberating for only 90 minutes, they returned a guilty verdict on the charge of first degree murder.
Polk could be sentenced to anywhere from 5 years to life in prison. Sentencing begins on Friday the 18th, which also happens to be Polk’s birthday.
Source: truckersreport, kwtx, tdtnews, tdtnews, kxxv
John T Booker says
My hope is that the Ruiz family will find peace.
Larry Melton says
He should get the death sentence because he took a Life from someone who helping him out and if the company New of this they should be held responsible for the rest of the drive wife’s life
Milton Johnston says
Why trust a trainer when it comes to training a man or woman to drive your 100,000 + equipment, but you don’t trust his gut feeling about the person he’s training?
Rick says
You don’t make any sense
Paula says
I believe he means if you would trust a trainer to train a person to drive a valuable truck, you should trust that trainer when he tells you there is something wrong with the trainee and take them out of the truck.
Steve Hughart says
Well that’s Werner for you they should be held accountable just as much if not more they are sopost to run a background check on him and besides that if he says it was self defense why did he run then
WC says
Back ground checks won’t tell you about mental instability
Dave Autrey says
i got it, but yeah first guy, mr. knifey would have not got in my truck, but then i have parents that at least tried. and an education system early on. surrounded by young and beautiful socker moms…
ahhh was the life
Ron says
Yes he does!!
Rob Lopez says
I too had to read it twice. He’s talking to the company, telling them ” you trusted Mr. Ruiz to be a trainer with a $100,000 truck, but the company didn’t trust Mr. Ruiz enough to get this trainer off his truck as requested”.
The end result cost Mr. Ruiz his life. I feel for his family. Sentencing shouldn’t be as low as 5 years.
DJ says
Good point
jim tomblin says
I was a trainer back in 1992 and believe me you get some very disturbed people coming out of schools, and you get some good people. I trained one ex airline pilot and i trained a young struggling mother of two. As a trainer you have to know a little bit of street psychology and a bit of patience..bottom line driver do as i did on several occassions, if there is any doubt refuse to train that person or if on the truck take to nearest terminal and if that is not and option you can also pull into a greyhound station and have police remove him or her from truck…do not get angry or allow things to escalate to argumentu…no one wins an arguement, take an old man’s advice.
Penny Carstens says
I agree, if you meant: So you trust a trainer to do his job, but not trust him enough to believe their is an issue.
anthony j means says
Pathetic. These companies are outrageous.
scott brazinsky says
thats a stupid comment,blame it on the company?Man,i hope your not a driver!
Allen says
I’m guessing you’ve never trained new drivers before? Werner absolutely had a responsibility to consider the trainer’s opinion.
DJ says
I agree
Rich says
Priceless!!!!!!!
Mike Hunt, Esq. says
If you don’t trust your trainee, you ditch him at a truck stop. If Ruiz would have tossed the murderer’s belongings out of the truck while the murderer was using the restroom, he would still be alive today. RIP Mr. Ruiz.
Groo says
Sounds like cause for a wrongful death suit against the company. If he wanted the trainee out of the truck, it should happen ASAP. The fact it didn’t happen and it cost this guy his life, is all on the company.
Samuel Gallezzo says
I believe Ruiz asked the company to remove the trainee. You can be sure Werner has buried all traces of any such request. It would be easier to prove there’s a Santa Clause.
Jim says
You got that right! Werner is going into serious CYA mode. They will also pull out the “Agreement to Hold Harmless” document that Ruiz undoubtedly signed prior to becoming a trainer. If all else fails, their insurance company will have their legal department make an offer and then keep the suit tied up in mediation for years until the Ruiz family agrees to accept the settlement.
Steve Hughart says
You got that Wright
David Edward Hanavan says
Werner fired the dispatcher for refusal to listen to the driver, got sued by the family for wrongful death, and lost 50% of their trainer’s. I was one of those trainer’s they mistreated and I quit when I found out about the murder. Their punishment for quitting the training program is to cut your pay, and your miles. I ended up earning $400 a month, and told them good by.
L. Blake says
David… Thanks for chiming in
JAMES GUINN,JR says
WHY DIDN’T THE MANGER DO THERE JOB , THIS PERSON SHOULD BE PUT ON TRAIL S FOR NOT LISTENING
Rm says
If i was Ruiz daughter i would sue werner. These training company try there best not to change students, they wait till the situation escalades. They always wsit till last minute to do something. Makes no sense. Its all about the $$$. Drivers mean nothing to them.
Daniel says
I don’t feel the company is really responsible. You take the student’s money to train them and you pay money to the trainer to train them. You legally have a responsibility to train them and you rely on your trainers to do that. It’s just a crappy situation. You cannot judge people on a gut feeling and treat them differently than their peers because it’s discrimination. Welcome to an ever-increasing-PC-BS-world.
Chuck says
If Ruiz had let Werner know that something was wrong and wanted Polk off his truck then the company would be partially at fault for not acting. However, according to this report, we don’t know that Werner was told about the problems. It only states that Ruiz told his daughter that.
Wolvespirit Transportation says
“Ruiz had called his manager multiple times asking to be reassigned.” That’s a quote from the story, second paragraph, second sentence. He DID tell his manager multiple times he wanted Polk off his truck.
Aleg says
You make no sense at all.
The student volunteers to go on a trip and company pays student a stipend to cover expenses on the road.
Of course the trainer should have a final say whether to proceed with the trainee or have him immediately removed/reassigned. There is NO legal requirement like you stipulated.
If the company was forcing the trainer to proceed or risk being fired, the company should be responsible for wrongful death.
Maingame123 says
I concur. As a trainer you signed a contract to train all kinds of human beings with all kinds of issues and temperaments. You accepted the job and the pay that comes along with it. While this situation is unfortunate its not the company’s fault but Werner will be liable because this happened at “work” between their personnel. I personally do not train drivers over the road. This is just one example of how your gambling with your life.
Alan says
Yes you can. And you should. Especially in this line of work. Anyone can pay for school and get a license. But this work is not for everyone. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT A FULLY LOADED TO SEMI TRUCK IS A DEADLY WEAPON. If a mentaly unstable guy that is stupid enough to stab a man over an argument is given a truck to drive he could smash a car full of people for not likeing the way the car is driven
Paul W Burkett says
This is a very disturbing and sad story, but I am not at all surprised. Judging from what I keep reading, companies are so desperate to add drivers, they will accept ANYBODY. I thank God I don,t have to train newbys anymore. Many have scared me, usually their driving though.
Alan says
Same here. I had trained 6 may be 7 people but they were all my friends. But you have to be right there with them all the time and then you take over and drive yourself and you get no rest at all. Its scary how some of them drove
Patricia says
I had 2 trainers, the first one hated women period and was always trying to start a fight the 2nd one was great ,relaxed and fun. Neither of them was awake when I drove.
Steve P says
If I was the trainer I would have just ditched this guy at a rest stop and kept going.
Always trust you’re first instinct.
It is usauly correct.
Hammer Head says
Trucking is such a high tension job that I’m surprised there hasn’t been more stabbings, shootings, and baseball bats to the noggin and that’s just in the dispatch department!!
Patricia says
Lol I agree. Imo to qualify for dispatch you should have to have experience otr driving a truck and trailer. Some of those kids wouldn’t be able to put one in gear let alone try to drive in heavy traffic or down a lot of the narrow 2 lane roads with low power lines they send you on
J says
Werner, like any of the big 5, don’t take money from the trainee. They pay the trainer the miles the trainee drives and the trainee gets paid a standard detainer for the time he is on the truck. Just another horrible event in the daily life of trucking.
John m says
That’s what trucking has become low paying jobs attract people like that.
Pam says
They need to screen for bi polar illness and suicide. There is a serious mental illness problem in America. I am so upset for this hard working family. The guilty party’s family members knew something was wrong.
mousekiller says
I used to train , many years ago. Some times I was the third trainer maby the fourth that student had. WHY? Because the company invested in the students schooling and did not want to waste the money spent on them. . Of course other reasons for trainers wishing to remove the student .such as age difference . Many I had failed to listen to simple instructions and thought they knew all they needed to know to be out by themselves.. One was so in a rush to be on his own he had 4 trainers. All said to send him home. They company didn’t. First load out he was busted in AZ with drugs in trailer. Company lost truck and trailer.One I had just could not grasp the use of mirrors. He would look in the mirror but did not comprehend what he saw. Looked at the mirror, changed lanes to the left and put a Cadillac in the media that was along side of him. He too had been with several trainers. Many reasons for dip stick drivers and so many slip through the cracks. Unfortunately many companies run these trucks like team trucks.Some trainers get paid the miles the trainee runs and do it for the extra bucks not to put a good driver on the road. Seen it too many times. Not a good idea.Greed.
Patricia says
Woah there hoss. A lot of trainers nowdays should never be training in the first place. A lot of companies will make you a trainer after 3 mths. They don’t know everything but want to act like they do. Some students who have more than one trainer is because they’re set up with someone that nobody else could get along with. After my training , my 2nd one I will never forget, he had to be the best ever. The first was a real idiot who hadn’t been driving long and spoke broken English. Anyway I went on a truck with a guy who had a lot of people that complained on him , so I wasn’t sure, but that was 12 years ago and I’m still with him. It is what you make it
Brian Butler says
Trucking companies should get drivers straight out school. Put them on the road after orientation. Trust me they will learn by trial and error. Two strangers don’t need to be huddled up in no truck unless they really know each other.
jim says
My first trainer at CRST was one of the most angry and bitter human being I’d ever known, and verbally busive to the point it almost became physical. It got to the point where I packed my shit and got off the truck at a UPS terminal, and found my own way home.
Chris says
I was a trainer for Werner for several years and i can say that, in the few instances i had where i felt like a student didnt have what it took, my fleet manager always supported my opinion and routed us to a terminal for a drop off, once, even going so far as to have me call an Uber to take them to the bus station. Obviously, we don’t know what exactly happened in this instance and, I have heard, that the victim was a long-time trainer for Werner so I would imagine that his opinion was respected. Still, there’s always going to be a delay between deciding to drop a student and actually getting them to a place where they can be dropped.
Runaway says
No matter who it is, people crammed into a truck together are going to clash. This sounds race related to me. Often, new hires do not know what O.T.R really is, and are not able to cope.
Patricia says
I have to wonder by the trainers name if it could have been one I had at a different company. He was rude , threatening and was always speaking Spanish to dock workers looking at me and laughing. The guy constantly ran women down and cursed his wife over the phone every time he spoke to her. I had to beg for a week to get off that truck because when he was contacted he would say everything was fine. I finally told the dispatch if they didn’t get me off the truck we were going to have a fist fight. I was finally able to get off at a terminal on the west coast after actually speaking with the actual company owner.
Peter R Pirro says
The whole industry needs to wake up. As they continue to have 1000% turnover, due to poor training. (including the trainers themselves), even worse hiring practices, lower wages and just too damm many hrs of actual work…..
James says
I really hope the family can hold the dirt bag mega carrier financially responsible also.
Jim says
Unfortunately, with the driver shortage they are having to take whatever they can get. ANYONE can get a job driving a truck. You can have multiple felonies as long as you’re not currently on parole or probation. I’m sure there are some companies who will take current parolees and probationers. There’s also the fact that this job seems to attract a lot of misfits and kooks with personality disorders whom no one else will hire. As a driver, I have met people who have displayed signs of serious mental illness and those who ranged from being “a little off” to “freaking nuts”. At one company, I was the only driver who didn’t have a record. Until they stop taking anyone and everyone, we’re going to have these problems.
Glenn says
Well said. The industry low pay scale & so-called ‘freedom’ of nobody looking over your shoulder attracts our society degenerates & slobs who could care less about personal appearance or professionalism. A shower or using a turn signal is optional any more sadly. Lots of classless tail-gating unqualified steering wheel holders running up & down the roads now days & one reason why driverless trucks are on the horizon & Im already working on my Plan B when i bail out of the truck once & for all by end of summer hopefully.
Linda Merritts says
To the Ruiz family we pray that you will find some peace in the senseless act. As we all know trucking is very stressful now with the ELD’s in effect there is no room for normal act of trucking that my slow you down. We are all pushed to the limit. The dispatcher with Werner hopefully will listen to his co workers as they are in the mist of the action not just worry if the load will get there or not.
No life is worth a load of freight.
Lamont says
I had two white trainers when I started. The first one was cool bit the second one was a bigot hiding behind christianity (which i don’t subscribe to). The bigot always had something negative to say about foreign drivers to the point where I almost had to bash the guys face in. I didn’t want to hear any of that I was there to learn how to drive a truck safely. If the guy felt that way about immigrants then I’m sure he felt the same way about non white american born people. After I called him out on his bigotry I didn’t have a problem with the coward anymore.
Ba says
https://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/threads/werner-trainer-craps-himself.39618/
was it him?
Et says
Just think trucking companies have been considering fixing there driver shortage problems by emptying out the prisons. Who’s going train them. Imagine that
Mark Pain says
Whenever someone comes to me for advice about what to expect I tell them the worst parts and don’t sugarcoat anything. Trainers will get on your nerves and do things they wouldn’t get away with anywhere else but always keep your cool. It isn’t worth jail!