Police are searching for the trucker who abandoned his trailer at a truck stop after he allegedly failed to extort extra money from his employer in return for completing the delivery.
The trailer was reported to the authorities on Wednesday after it began dripping rancid juices from the 35,000 pounds of no-longer-frozen chicken that it was carrying. According to the manager of the truck stop, the trailer had been left there unattended since at least Saturday. Since then, a “gooey red liquid” had started dripping out of the trailer, which, compounded by swarms of flies and a 90 degree heat, had started to smell.
According to missoulian.com, the driver, Christopher Hall, has an extensive criminal history and is currently wanted for a federal parole violation and the alleged theft of a 2013 Volvo truck worth $160,000.
Hall allegedly contacted his carrier, Dixie River Freight Inc., and held his load for ransom, demanding more money for the delivery of the $80,000 worth of frozen chicken. When Dixie River decided not to pay, he abandoned the trailer.
Hall is currently wanted by the police, and as for the rotting mess in the Flying J parking lot, the carrier’s insurance company will have to figure out how to deal with it.
Next Story: Company Owner Puts $1.7M Of Company Money In His Own Pocket
Source: idoahostatesman, idahopress, missoulian
Image Source: missoulian
Yuk…. If this joker left this mess next to me at flying J I’d be pretty upset
I have nothing to say about that , it`s none of my business , thank you .
Well when he left it there the reefer was still running so the load was still good until it ran out of fuel it’s says in the article that it wasn’t until about 30 days till they found where the trailer was and that he picked up the load in Arkansas and had to deliver the load to wa within 24 hours .This load sure doesn’t smell right.
Unlike the guys before me, I’m not as interested in someone’s shorts, bc I’m grown and never have to worry about or think twice who’s shorts are going where. Not my business.
However I do agree that this driver probably grew tired of not being paid what she/he was worth.
( grown folk verbiage)
And ” some” carriers shouldn’t be surprised of the retaliation! A driver can only be pushed so far.
So true… Chicken loads are notoriously cheap… No pun intended.
ARe you friggin kidding me, this guy has a long rap sheet (a.k.a. a bad guy) who was and mostly is up to no frigging good, so if he gets put in the slammer good riddance more room for all us respectable working class type people. Thats all folks
Chatli, are you serious? If you don’t like what you’re being paid, you act like a grown-up and find another one at any of the hundreds of companies looking for drivers. You don’t punish the companies that sold the chickens and the intended recipient. In any case, this moron’s terrorist tactic probably has ensured he will never work as a truck driver again.
“terrorist tactic” …. really?
We all know how these companines always have some excurse to short our checks, maybe he just got fed up.
Why do I get the feeling this ant the whole story and the driver was tired of being robed by his company…
Are you kidding?
Your right… What was I thinking. The trucking industry is so honest
Really??? the comments so far are made by those who don’t get it and never will. this is the kind of non professional driver that gives the industry a bad name. when we accept a load we know what it pays, (percentage, mileage) whether it’s an owner/operator or company driver. if you don’t like the pay then DON’T drive a truck for a living. this is a company driver, he knew how he was being paid when he accepted the job. I have yet to see someone in the passenger seat holding a gun to anyone’s head making them drive a truck.
Exactly. Thank you. The guy is an obvious criminal.
Amen Brother
I feel u bro. Absolutely!
Probably got his record from the last companies he worked for… 😉
“When you choose to ship with us, you’re shipping with a company that takes honestly, integrity and professionalism seriously. Our driver’s and staff have a proven record and are committed to getting your freight where it needs to be on time.”
Sounds like the only record they checked was whether they could run him from Springdale Arkansas to Washington overnight. They should have done a little more checking, especially on his criminal background. This sounds like one of those companies they got what they deserved, big time.
While I agree with his motives. His actions do nothing in a positive way to make his point. If you want better wages then set a professional example. As someone who works on percentage when you take a load its up to you to accept what it pays. If its too low, then refuse the load. Its nobody’s fault but your own f you accept a cheap paying load. As for any company driver, you know going in what your getting paid per mile. You also accept that when you become a employee. You don’t like the pay you go somewhere else. Companies generally like turnover because they can keep hiring new drivers and starting them off at the lower cents per mile. Makes sense even though it costs a company some in training costs. If you think trucking is a honest and fair industry you need to find another line of work. Plenty of bad companies out there and its why you typically find over 100% turnover in companies. Are there good companies? Yes, but they mostly hire skilled veteran drivers who won’t stiff the company, have accidents or hold freight ransom.
one guy is a criminal– all drivers —it would be a revolution and maybe the pay might be better than .25 cents an hour…..we are out and away from family 168 hours a week.. if i dont have the option to crack a beer open- that means work…
and dealing with b.s.— and in this industry- sleep is work… it makes the next 14 hours safer…
My question is;; If as stated, the driver had an extensive criminal record ; WHY WAS HE HIRED ..in the first place?
Jraulpilot, I agree. In 2008 when the economy tanked, the trucking industry was the only industry hiring.Now we have an excess of yahoo’s like this dude driving our roads.Companies hire more manpower than they have freight. But still, for someone like this to “slip through the cracks” that’s just unacceptable!
My guess some companies want to give some people a chance as long as their felonies were not serious such as violence related. And with the shortage of drivers we supposedly are having.
Let’s see..driver has an extensive criminal history?
The company he works for expected him to run from
Arkansas to Washington..overnight? And in the end a load
Of chicken is rotting in a truckstop parking lot?
I guess this was news worthy due to a scumbag driver trying
To extort money from his scumbag carrier and all the chickens
that made the ultimate sacrifice. No wonder the media loves us!
Exactly Rodney. Funny how all the dirt gets dug up on the driver when we all know of companies that say 1 thing and do something else.
And this was almost undoubtedly a member of the “why wont people give me a second chance” club
Previously wanted for a federal parole violation? Sounds like he made a deal with a devil of a company. Did they cause him to miss his meeting on purpose? Why did this company hire a felon? Enquiring minds want to know what this cotton pickin’ Dixie River Co. Is all about. I smell “foul” play. Sorry it was too easy, I had to.
Make that “fowl” play.
Amen
This story is a nightmare. These situations ruin the reputation of the company and the industry as a whole. Recruiting, Safety, Ops, sales and all the staff bust their ass to make a profit. Along comes a driver with real issues to ruin everything. I hope this guy gets flopped right back to prison for a long time. Let’s face it. It’s a drivers market. They are in demand and companies have a hard time seating trucks. I would rather my trucks sit then put a jerk like this behind the wheel. I have owned and operated a trucking company for 27 years. I have drivers that are professional, courteous and willing to go above and beyond to protect the customer. I will fire any driver I feel has emotional issues. I will not hire drivers with a criminal background that involves theft, fraud or sexual crimes.
Some of the comments left here really tend to piss me off. I you feel you are not making enough money then quit and go drive for somebody that pays a better rate. If you hate driving then get out of the trucking business and save us all from stress and migraines. I always get drivers that tell my operation staff when they will drive. They try to manipulate every conversation and give my team a hard time. We fire these drivers on the spot. Again, I would rather have the truck sit.
A small piece of advice to recruiters and safety staff: Do not hire drivers that are taking prescription medication for depression, anxiety or other mental health issues. We disqualify these drivers. You are only asking for trouble. Again, I would rather let the truck sit.
It seems that safety in this company is missing. He had picked up a load on August in Springdale AR for a delivery the next day in Kent WA, at least a 34 hour trip by car. The article regarding his arrest makes it look like they didn’t even give him fuel money. Loser company has loser driver!
It’s a real shame all that chicken was wasted
I think there is a lot more here than is being reported. I did a check on Dixie River and it appears they only have one truck. And who ships out a cross country load to a solo driver when even a team couldn’t make it legally or illegally. The load has been missing for a month and only just been reported. I smell insurance fraud.
I can’t believe what I am hearing here. People are agreed with this immature “driver”? If you aren’t getting paid, there is a small claim court. That’s it. Why involve third parties in your messed up mind?
Most drivers cannot afford to take time off of the road to come to small claims court for every motion and continuance. The cost of doing so exceeds the amount which small claims court can award, in a dispute. The people that drivers might need to sue, however, can easily appear in court, since they aren’t 1200 miles away from it. As is commonly the case, the civil “justice” system is poorly balanced – and as is commonly the case, it’s the driver/s that get short-changed.
Well if any of you are working for a large common carrier your not getting what you deserve….or maybe u are since your stupid enough to even work for a large generic common carrier…anything under $1200wk your being ripped off (as a company driver)
$160,000 Volvo ? YEA RIGHT!!!
Good for this guy…least he grew a set……..we need more loads getting dropped an refused to teach thease bottem feeder companies……..
Good for him ??? How exactly is going to prison and probably losing everything of much value good for him? More drivers should do this you say? You can count me out …
bunch of idiots involved from the idiot behind the wheel to the truck stop emps to the company. nobody noticed the trailer just sittin there? then the hazmat factor? the company didn’t notify the fbi? key word federal carrier. some dumb folks involved(not involved) here.
I smell an upcoming sale on chicken McNuggets. Ha