Joseph Volpe, the infamous “Trucker Spy” who opened fire on a truck driver during a bout of road rage was sentenced on July 18th. He was convicted of second-degree attempted murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon – all serious felony charges. He has given a surprisingly light sentence.
In Tennessee, the average sentence for second-degree attempted murder is between 8 and 30 years in prison, for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon it’s 2 to 12 years, and for reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon it’s 1 to 6 years. This means that Volpe could have easily served anywhere from 11 to 48 years in prison. Instead he is to serve less than a year in a Tennessee state work house and pay restitution to his intended victim of $17,500. The restitution will be made in payments of $250 for the next seven years.
If Volpe fails to make payments or if he has any incidents at the work house, he will serve three consecutive sentences for a total of 13 years in prison.
Until the incident, Volpe would drive around the nation’s highways with video cameras hoping to find truck drivers with unsafe driving habits. His “company,” Third Eye Highway Safety, would then send a copy of the video to the driver’s trucking company who would pay him for exclusive rights to keep the video from being released to the public.
It was on one of these trips that he encountered Bruce Johnston, a veteran owner operator. The incident occurred when Volpe grew agitated and ended up pulling his car beside Johnston’s rig and firing a single round from his 9mm through the back of Johnston’s sleeper. The bullet missed Johnston’s head by mere inches.
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This is complete B.S. this guy should of had charges of road rage and being a waste of human space. He is going to end up causing a major fatality accident they should of thrown the book at him. Not only did he endanger the life of the o/o but also the lives of the rest of the motoring public.
Scumbag!
Guess we now know what value TN places on the life of a trucker. Someone should introduce this douche to a bridge abutment at about 70 MPH.
Relax people, he is feeling pretty good about himself right now! Which means he will do it again soon. Which means he is going to die in prison with OJ, he’s just not there YET….
We are just trash to everybody we are not of any importance to anyone.Just machines that
make other people rich so yeah nevermind attemted murder.
The article says this nit-wit would demand a payment from the trucking company to keep the video from being released to the public. Isn’t that extortion, also a serious felony?
He owns and runs a different company now I am in litigation with him where he has stolen from me can’t get into about the case but he is about to get what is coming to him for a long time
It is an outrageous outcome but it’s the companies that were and have been blackmailed by this vigilante that should be clamoring for his skin even if its on the sly. They have the money and the wherewithal to get something done about it.
I would bet that the O/O has already filed a civil suit against this clown.
Hey, com’mon guys… now you know that this country has the best judicial system that money can buy!!! It’s the ‘good ole’ boy’ system at work.
I wonder if this is the same guy who has the “watchmytruck” account on YouTube and been uploading truckers tailgating and speeding and whatnot.
I know from a previous article that this guy does indeed upload his “unsafe truckers” videos, but it never made mention of what the name of the youtube channel he uploads them to.
I’d rather not send traffic his way, I don’t want the publicity to benefit him.
@andrew, yes same guy. Notice how there have been no new videos in the past 2 years while he was on trial.
Yes it sure is
The D.O.J. should be looking into this. This should be a Federal case since it happened on an Interstate highway and the victim pays F.H.U.T (federal highway use tax) and is operating under Federal Laws.
Where is the justice for human life in this country?
Why not shoot back,
Wow… Tennessee sucks… here in Georgia that wouldn’t happen.
I bet if a trucker had fired at a reckless 4 wheeler, he would’ve got life without parole. Guess this is a prime example of good ole southern justice.
I wonder if this is the same a-hole who posts videos on YouTube of ‘unsafe’ truckers? This verdict puts things in perspective, doesn’t it? The life of a professional driver isn’t even worth him doing any prison time over…
He is in fact known for his youtube posts of the videos.
Ironic, isn’t it? And the most unsafe “trucker” is the one nearest him.
(I don’t like the word “trucker”. Almost sounds obscene. I prefer “driver”)
It is the same guy.
I am in the wrong line of business. I can get a $200 speeding ticket if I go faster than 25 MPH down Homestake Pass in Montana, prolly go to jail and lose my CDL if I go past 40 MPH… this dude on the other hand can extort companies, shoot at a driver controlling 80,000 lbs of steel and iron moving at highway speeds, AND not have to go to jail? I am impressed.
I’m speechless, was the judge a relative of his or what. People get more time for drugs..
No justice none. In Tennessee a company can get away with screwing trucking company’s out of millions as long as you have those GOP connections. This scum sucker really needed prison. No justice
Just look where Pilot/Flying J is based and the money they’ve cheated companies and drivers out of.
This guy should be in jail for 30 years. But you can bet he will pay for this in one way or the other. Thinking he’s the same fool that almost caused a wreck in Chattanooga Tn in April when I was there.
The part that amazes me about this fiasco is what if he would have hit the driver and caused him to lose control of his truck? This case is twice as bad because there could have been multiple victims had this lowlife actually hit the driver but he gets a slap on the wrist? The penalties for idling your truck in some states are more severe than what this guy got and its a disgrace.I wonder who got bought?
Does anyone else see the craziness to create a business in which you film people and use the video to extort money from their employers/business just to avoid being put on youtube or such? That’s just nuts. Also, for the next 84 months, every month, this idiot will have to write a $250 check to the truck driver he terrorized! Can you imagine the resentment that will build up monthly and with this jerk’s mentality, who knows what he’ll do to relieve THAT rage! Justice in Tennessee? They should have given him the slippery-ist bar of soap in Tennessee and locked him up.
Ya know, I am just as outraged, but can someone pass a message to the o/o. Thanks for being one of the good guys and keeping in control. You probably saved many lives.
Well,
if he misses a payment or has an “incident” in the halfway house he’ll be doing 13 years.
It’s not over yet.
Which is a good point to make. A hothead like this, I’m betting there’s a certain likelihood that will happen, too.
This is just BS! Does Tennessee really think that this little weak, spineless, Swift traing academy reject will learn his lesson? Really, the guy gets mad because he probably couldn’t provoke that driver into doing something to record, got mad, and took out his anger with a bullet. Now that he basically got a slap on the wrist, his arrogance is gonna shoot thru the roof, making him feel like a tough guy, meaning he will be back harrassing drivers again. Something tells me that not only did he clink out of Swift’s school, but he has never had a girlfriend. I’m just saying.
a company that uses blackmail to gain money from trucking firms..gee what a shock..these kind of crack pots we dont need on the roads,dude pops off a round at a truck and gets slapped on the hand..just shows truckers are sccond class citizens..no laws are enforced as hard on fourwheelers as they are on trucks..i was driving thru TN once near memphis,saw a idiot do something very dangerous in front of a trooper..trooper pulls up next to him looks and goes on,no pulling over or ticket.
Obviously this man had some serious power, anger and control issues. However, I am all for the idea of a “third eye” out there for safety. I see drivers do stupid unsafe things everyday and the longer it goes unchecked, innocent people are at risk of getting hurt. Simple things like using a blinker to change lanes, following to close, speeding, improper lookout, professional behavior and just plain bad driving is happening everywhere you look. Better training and equipment is an one obvious reason, a “third eye” would be a good thing to get some of these problems solved. The idea is a good one, but not to hold a trucking company or driver hostage, this guy should be beaten to an inch of his life for taking advantage of the situation. What happened to make this guy think it was OK to do this crap to extort money from people? It is truly discouraging to think people actually do this stuff, and when this guy gets out he will go right back to making money through less than honest ways. Geez,,,,what happened to people being fair and honest? We all suffer from this one way or another and it just gives someone else the same idea,,,domino effect.
Maybe he’s got a video of the judge driving wreckless
Doesn’t happen often, but you made me laugh out loud. Milton, you’re a genius and probably right!
Sad Testament to the value of “human life” …..Period! So,…… Let’s pay attention to what the Gov. Media Complex wants us to talk about………Let’s talk about Zimmerman. What a G.D Joke!!!!!!!!!!
wow, that is the same TN that unlawfully jailed me for six hours because they “suspected” I possessed a firearm in a small lockbox in my truck sleeper after they illegally searched (trashed) my truck without my permission !
Maybe someone should follow him around with a video camera then extort money from his company. Which makes me think why hasn’t anyone got him for extortion?
That’s what I was wondering: he’s guilty of extortion, but apparently they breezed over that.
What are his damages besides a bullet hole in his sleeper?
You can’t be serious…
I second that Mark! @ Wells: Did it ever occur to you that the man almost lost his life? I’d sue him for every penny possible plus some. It would be pure ignorance not to.
Don’t trust your soul to no backwoods Southern lawyer. This is a land where killing Indians was OK, where enslaving Blacks was legal and discriminating against gays is still just fine and companies have the same rights as people according to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision. Remember fellow truckers: when they say Justice, they mean Just Us…not you. Volpe may be a criminal but the sentencing system is the bigger issue as it failed the O/O and the public at large.
Great entire comment. I second that all!
Sounds like Bissell is back in Business in TN. If you don’t know who Bissell is check with OOIDA.
The O/O that was shot at has the moral obligation to sue the s*** out of this dude. If not for the money, definitively out of principle.
sound like someone needs to catch this person in a dark alley some where. and there’s no telling what’s in his closet.
What? They didn’t charge him with extortion or blackmail against the companies? I heard of this guy and his company some years ago, when he attempted to extort money from my former employee. He sent a DVD of one of the drivers allegedly following too close to another truck. After watching the video numerous times, it was easy to see it had been doctored. My former employer told him to shove it where the sun don’t shine, and if he attempted to send it to the media, he would have to explain the gap in time on the time counter, which was about a minute.
Additionally, I also heard he couldn’t hold down a real job, and extorting money from trucking companies was much easier.
Oh leave him alone . The guy was having a bad day and probably won’t happen again any time soon.
After 14 years of driving and endless miles I have decided I no longer want to be Truck Driver!! Mainly because of the prejudice our country has bestowed upon us. We’re worthless human beings to the public, we are only professional drivers when were getting pulled over. Discusses me how in this case you can see the difference if the tables were turned and that driver would have attempted to drive that vehicle of the road even without a gun in sure he would have seen jail time just because we are professional drivers at time of the incident any other time we are just dumb a__ drivers. Not for me no more.
You can bet this guy had the police officers lie on his behalf. It’s just another way for the police to “get them bad truck drivers off the road” Your considered to be a professional driver when to cop is writing you a ticket. Go to the government labor book,and you’ll find truck drivers listed as “Unskilled Labor”. The trucker should have been paid more than $17,000,and not have it dragged out over the years either ! The truck driver should also be able to sue this guy in “Civil Court”.
Proof says it best with this case, the truck driver is considered worthless or something less than a real human. Attempted murder of truck drivers and we let the murderer go free. We put up with truck drivers because they at least deliver our product. Of course we pretend to like this group of wayward nomads, but the bottom line is to never give a sucker (truck driver) and even break. Hmm…I think I need my boots polished.
Hey Sam, do us a favour and post some new stories. I am tired of seeing this disgusting face every time I open up TTR.
I generally post 3-5 stories on Thursday because the weekly newsletter goes out on Friday. But I’ll bump this post a little ways down the page for now.
Thank you! Much appreciated!
What’s the other side of this story? Was the truck driver culpable for his actions? I know I love seeing peterbilt 2 inches from my bumper when I’m driving down the road. Yes, I do not know the facts in this case. My guess is most do not.
@ Dave.
No matter what the “facts of the case” are you don’t try to kill someone because they piss you off in traffic!
… unless they are trying to run you off the road (thus trying to kill you)… I step back and listen at this point. Self defense is, self defense.
If a rig is swerving into me, I’m justified in killing the driver who by doing so, is trying to kill me.
Until ALL drivers take a stand together nothing will be done to insure our safety out here. We should be allowed to carry a gun since we go into some of the most dangerous area’s in the country. If we take a stand against brokers we can get our rates up where they need to be in order to justify being on the road away from our families. Company drivers that think high fuel prices don’t affect them are wrong. Your making per mile what I made 20 years ago as a company driver and the reason is high fuel prices. Wake up no way would I be out here for weeks at a time away from my family making what your making. CA EPA crap is hurting all of us WE can Unite and put a stop to this.
It is difficult to ascertain culpability or form an opinion without knowing all the facts in the case.
The reason Mr. Volpe may have gotten a lighter sentence remains a question mark in my mind not having the full information. Firing a weapon is, in itself, not a crime unless it was fired recklessly and without cause. If, in fact, the weapon was fired because a rig was trying to run over you, I’m thinking some justification has occurred and the jury saw that.
I don’t want to express an opinion without knowing more but I’ve heard that, if you peel the lid back on a can of sardines, the smell doesn’t improve. Maybe there’s more to this can of sardines than we are being fed.
This makes truck enthusiasts like me look bad whenever I hold a camera and stand at an overpass, thanks alot Volpe. I’m in this because of the trucks themselves, just getting to catch them and marvel at their power, looks, and just the fact that they’re trucks! It’s one thing to take pictures and video if a largecar or just the typical O/O truck comes up… but to go to extremes and sell them out? That’s not right. Justice needs to head this guy’s way, just another way that our judicial system is corrupt, always letting the bad guy get away and punishing the victim…
Like Mike, I’d be interested in knowing if there are any federal laws that protect CMV drivers, seeing as there are so many laws that control every other aspect of their existence.
Ben, it’s not everybody, it just seems that way. As long as we continue allowing society to think that way, they will. When we put aside our differences, and unite for the greater good of our profession, some of this stereotyping will subside.
Louis is correct, but someone needs to be there when it happens, with a video camera to capture it. We need to follow Volpe’s lead…
Tim, Amen brother! GAlanFink, don’t test your theory without consulting a lawyer in the jurisdiction in which you plan on proving it. There are a lot of factors to be considered (medical condition, equipment failures, and the possibility that the driver is trying to get to the hospital to see a loved one before they die). In most cases, even the crappiest of passenger cars can out maneuver a CMV, and therefore, removing the need to use Deadly Force. GAlanfink, I agree with the statement in your second post about withholding judgment until you get all the facts, but is seems like a contradiction to your first statement about the use of Deadly Force.
This tells you, how much Tenn values truckers, doesn’t it?