A road rage incident involving four truckers and spanning over 90 miles ended with a fatal accident, a jailed trucker, and now a payment of $25 million from one of the trucking companies responsible for the crash.
The whole incident started on I-84 in Idaho on June 1st, 2016. Jonathan Hogaboom, a driver for IN-based Horizon Transport, was driving a luxury $750,000 motorhome. According to Peter Barnes, a driver for UT-based Smoot Brothers, Hogaboom pulled his RV in front of Barnes’ truck and slammed on the brakes.
Over the course of the next 90 miles, Cory Frew and James Decou, two other Smoot Brothers drivers also got involved in the road-rage battle. All four drivers were allegedly involved in speeding, honking, brake-checking, and cutting each other off.
This lasted until 8:45pm. On a winding two-lane stretch of Highway 20 West near Burns, Oregon, the incident came to a tragic end. In his flatbed Decou attempted to illegally pass Hogaboom’s RV. According to The Oregonian, Hogaboom sped up to keep Decou from passing him, and then slowed down to prevent him from getting back in the westbound lane. It was then that a Ford Focus driven by Sara Allison came around a bend in the road.
Allison’s car smashed head-on into Decou’s flatbed. The collision killed her and severely wounded her husband who was a passenger in the car.
Decou pled guilty to second-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to 75 months in prison. He and the other Smoot Brothers drivers were fired and the company acknowledged their role in the accident.
Hogaboom left the scene of the accident. Horizon Transport denied wrongdoing and in court documents argued that Smoot Brothers was trying to scapegoat their driver.
Both companies were sued by Matthew Allison on behalf of himself and his wife’s estate. On May 10th a jury found that the negligence of the trucking companies and their drivers had caused the crash. They awarded Matthew Allison $7.6 million and his wife’s estate $12.38 million. In addition, the jury ordered Smoot Brothers to pay $1.5 million in punitive damages and Horizon Transport to pay $5 million in punitive damages.
Unbeknownst to the jury however, Smoot Brothers had settled with Allison for $900,000 shortly before the trial ended. This leaves Horizon Transport solely responsible for around $25 million of the $26.5 million verdict.
Horizon maintains that it has been used as a scapegoat, but Hogaboom no longer works for the company. He now drives for Swift Transportation.
Source: transportationnation, click2houston, kobi5, oregonlive, ktvz
“Hogaboom no longer works for the company. He now drives for Swift Transportation”
…
Now that’s some irony, isn’t it?
Yeah right !!!
Nuff said!
I laugh at you idiots that rage on the road just cause a truck can’t go as fast as yours
Now that’s a great point I get this all the time in company governed at 66 semi! Guys tailgate me if I pass someone and/or won’t let me outta lane behind slow moving vehicle even when there’s 3 lanes available such as Ohio. It’s so annoying and childish for so called pros to drive that way.
But the third lane in Ohio says no trucks and it’s enforced
Not really the point ( with all due respect )
Sometimes you have rights to get over in no truck lane to avoid incidents. They just swaying don’t stay in the lane dummy! Js
Agreed!
Perhaps maybe it’s because a 66mph truck attempting to pass a 65mph takes too long? Why would I want to be behind someone for ten miles.
Amen^
.and what Lucky said. There is only a smidgen of professional drivers still out here. Maybe 3-5%. The rest are just a bunch of derelicts that can’t even spell ‘professional’, much less even know what it means, 10-4.
Speaking for yourself are you? Must be part of the 3-5% out there.because with my 3 million miles and I know of a lot of other dam good drivers out there. So don’t read an article and assume everyone else can’t drive and it might help you if you don’t compare real drivers to yourself and stop trolling for any attention on a BS comment because you might just get your wish Mr wet behind the ears.
All involved should have lost there CDLs for Life!!!
Amen!! I was thinking same thing!!
I agree, if not losing their CDL’s for life at least had them suspended for some time
I totally agree especially when someone gets killed this was not an accidental death this was intentional the reason I say this is because all drivers were irresponsible for there action which doing so caused the death and injury to innocent people. An accident is when something was unittentional when the driver refuse the other driver the right to pass even illeagal or showing down to get back in was intentional.
YOU just contradicted yourself
Exactly. Through all of this, the companies got punished, the drivers just moved on. No punishment whatsoever.
Totally agree.
Lost their CDL for life and spend a lot of time in prison
Totally agree with you 💯💯💯💯💯
I think the RV guy mostly at fault because he wouldn’t allow guy to even get back behind him! I’d have rather pushed RV off road than head on into innocent people
100% agree..
Yep. He should be the one in jail! Reckless endangerment. He killed her with his actions, not letting the other guy back in. He also left the scene of the accident. That motor home would be in the ditch before I kill an innocent, but wait, I would not be road raging in the first place! He is still driving. Goes to show you why most swift drivers are so hated by other drivers. See what caliber of driver they hire.
That’s what I was thinking swift will hire anyone with a pulse.
it’s not the Swift drivers other drivers hate . It is the name they hate. Swift has many safe 1,000,000 mile drivers. its the name that upsets todays drivers. Today it’s swift. Years ago it was JB HUNT. Who is going to be the next hated company?
I’ve seen it and those horizon drivers should have gone up for murder!i
I agree
That’s right no right to be in a big truck 10-4
This was a civil case. It doesn’t mean the drivers weren’t cited for their involvement in the accident. Hopefully they were.
Exactly…….
Beahahhahahaha
That tells you all you need to know about Swift
Damn RIGHT
Exactly, how do you get another driving job
These companies will hire anyone.
Easy just go to work for swift
I’ll bet they didn’t tell the new employer about the wreck
They should treat this just like a refusal to drug and alcohol test.1 year minimum suspended license.
Right?
Says it all
Couldn’t stop laughing at that.
First time I actually laughed at one of these stories!!!
Omg it’s a sad story but this line just made me rofl
That is the cherry on top of this whole mess.
How was he not also guilty of manslaughter?
….not that Swift would turn their nose up at someone with a Manslaughter conviction on their record.
Good place for him
You can’t make this stuff up… Lmfao
Swift must be desperate for drivers. Says a lot about them.
You guys need to get your bias under control ! Hogaboom was not guilty of any crime when he obviously applied to Swift !
How is it that this driver was the one who fled the crash and now works for a company who appraently has no knowledge he was a key part of killing an innocent driver and dam near causing her husband to be killed as well, what a bunch of stupid driver’s, all involved should be banned from ever driving again
I actually laughed out loud when I read that!
You can’t make this stuff up😁
As a Trainer
Sounds about right. Feel safe now?
The 3 lane no trucks in left lane is not enforceable. The law states any municalpality can make lane restrictions as long as there is 3 or more lanes but the lane restriction does not supercede state law. State law states all lanes can be used if their used to pass on the left. Just because it says no trucks in left lane doesn’t mean you can’t use the left lane to pass. I’ve beat this ticket in Dallas.
The question that needs to be asked is, why are any of these drivers working for any company?
Amen… none of these dirt bags need a commercial license. In fact Hogaboom needs some prison time also. But the filthy industry that trucking has become needs drivers, so now is the proof that Swift will hire any piece of crap to move there cheap ass penny freight! Worst company on the road bar none.!
Agreed
“Best in Crash” and getting better
Know what else ive noticed out there about swift? Every single time i approach a scale in the vicinity of a swift truck, i have watched them get the bypass through prepass. Im suspicious as to whether or not someone high up at swift is greasing the palm of or friends with someone in a government agency.
Exactly
Why is that not on the dac report
Because at the time his background was checked there was nothing negative on his DAC report Dummy ! remember innocent until proven guilty !
The story itself is incredible, but the last sentence is UNBELIEVABLE!
Sounds like Hog-a-boom was a Road Hog and he should have done some time too, for sure. Wonder if Swift knew of this fiasco? If they did, and hired this bum anyway, they must be more desperate than ever for drivers. He’ll fit right in at Swift though, for as long as he lasts.
Swift does NOT care WHO it hires. Their drivers were responsible for 38 deaths last year alone
38 deaths?! Wow that’s crazy!
Were did you get that information from ?
Yup ,. And when this happens again they will make him a trainer…..
why did the police aloud any of these guys to drive again on the public roads?
“He now drives for swift transportation”.
Wow.
And the DOT allows this???
They nitpick good drivers to death at the inspection stations on the one hand, happy to pass out frivolous tickets for missing mudflaps or being overweight by a couple hundred pounds, but then allow this poor excuse for a human being to drive again???
And how is he not in prison when clearly he directly caused the accident more so than the other driver trying to pass him?
And if the companies had to assume responsibility for the drivers’ idiotic behavior simply by virtue of having hired them, which should not be the case unless they already had verifiable bad records already, then surely swift is assuming some serious liability by hiring this joke of a human being, since he now actually has something on his driving record prior to being hired by swift.
The DOJ and DOT are both seriously messed up here. What can I say we live in a clown universe.
Well said and I agree totally Hogaboom was clearly more so responsible for crash than anyone else
I totally agree… This monster should be off the road period. And to be hired by Swift is no surprise.
This Hoogaboner story is hardly believable this accident would go CSA scores
I can almost bet the drivers were white that caused this accident thats the only way they were hired by swift to drive after this tragic accident if the drivers were black they wluld have been baned from the trucking industry this is a damn shame!
Real talk of course they were
Honesty,does any of this surprise you anymore
I think you got that backwards Jamal.
How so, bubba?
What the hell does race have to do with this? NOT a Thing. Foo
Effin Ahloles!!!
Part of being a professional driver is accepting that you have to let ALOT of on road stupidity go. If you arent capable of that then get the hell off of the highway for good.
There’s something’s you just can’t let go, but at least know when to stop.
Yes, you do. You’re supposed to be the professional. You don’t engage in anything that could involve innocent people.
I agree with you Lew Baxter. I wouldn’t even involve guilty people. If I didn’t like driving around some one I would slow down five mph for a few minutes and never see them again Worked better for me and my blood pressure. The only person I need to teach lessons to on the road is me
Amen to this comment!
You are so right. But todays drivers are so ate up with the me first I am perfect snowflake attitude it prevents them from thinking clearly and brings out the stupid in them. The unfortunate thing is the company’s pays the price of millions of dollars for one persons stupidity. Road rage spreads like wild fire for the stupidest reasons.. Granted, Stupid doesn’t care what you drive.Stupid is a weakness that grows in strength if you allow it to. Today the skill level of all drivers is not anywhere near the level it used to be to get any kind of license. Stupidity thrives on stupidity. It keeps growing until all motion stops. That stupid driver cut me off. So he tries the same maneuver and it escalates, stupid breeds stupid.
I do 3k miles a week. Sick of idiots……
What can be done??? There are “schools” handing out CDL A like candy, for a price. Two, even three weeks of training….. something needs to get real here. Anyone agree with me????
Yes I agree but these drivers are not professional just steering wheel holder.
Road rage don’t kill people, people do.
road rage is the weapon. Powered by stupidity.
Uncontrolled by people.
Sure Wish I Finished Training
See What I F’d-up Today
Shut up you self righteous critics , conservatively speaking over 50% of you out here reading bout this tragic incident have behaved in a similar way on our highways….. only difference is you haven’t been caught yet. Let’s learn from what we’ve just read and change our ways for the better.
I’m not sure how you dreamt up your 50% statistic. I’ve seen drivers not back out for a couple of seconds to let another truck pass. (I usually do, because the two seconds it takes a truck traveling 65 MPH, to travel twice the length of a truck is nothing. So why make them struggle to pass if they are governed slightly faster?) But I’ve NEVER seen a driver slow down to force a passing driver to stay in an oncoming lane.
I have my doubts that you are a CDL holder? Yes, there are some CDL holders that don’t belong on the road (including any that express frustration other than on the CB), but less than 1% would dream of forcing another driver to stay in an oncoming lane by altering their own speed.
Swift hiring anybody than get sued by the same drivers…he left a company doing a road rage but got another job asap..DMV are idiots as well for letting this guy keep his CDL..
Wonder how long till Hogaboom is involved in something else like this?
One thing for sure ill be keeping a watchful eye on swift trucks especially now that hoggaboom is driving one!
That’s the truth and I may ask swift drivers if they know his record
Hopefully this will wake him up but I highly doubtful.
Just a sad story, and stupid behavior.
10/04 good buddy!
I surely will pray for each and every individual involved in this incident, and know that the dark side works against each and every one of us ,for the kingdom is sure to come…
So the RV driver caused the accident by not allowing the trucker to pass and their companies have to pay???? Thats BS i dont think Motorhomes should be on the roadways.
The RV driver wouldn’t let semi in front of him
Nor behind him. Now he wasn’t required to slow up to allow semi in front but slowing down to prevent semi from
Getting back in lane made RV guy 90% responsible for crash and he should’ve gone To prison too!
Especially if you are above 80 years old
Fast forward 3 years later. Now, more and more truckers and others, refuse to be passed by another vehicle. Its absurd how people will speed up, to prevent being passed. Makes not an ounce of sense. But the craziness level is rising, everyday.
I will tell my children and friends about this man named hogaboom so they will never associate with the likes of such a cowardly man
Children. Part of being a professional truck driver is keeping yourself out of these situations. Stop, take a break, give the idiots all the room they need to proudly display their stupidity. Be safe.
He should have lost his license
4 life that’s why most people don’t like truckers now
It’s not about the drivers. But about a husband who lost a wife. A lady who lost her life. And any of these guys still have a cdl with the ability to do the same thing again.
Listen to the CB and you hear enraged drivers all the time. Life’s to short for that.
Just a sad story.
Being angry and acting on it are two different things,
They are two different things. However, those who become truck drivers generally aren’t the type to be aware enough to not act on their anger or other impulsive feelings… Though, it would be wise to blame the trucking companies for bargain hunting and hiring such individuals, as opposed to blaming the profession as a whole.
But don’t blame capitalism, because privatized pursuit of profits have nothing to do with the bargain hunting of labor….
Totally agree, I couldn’t stand those CB idiots, got rid of the radio, and now I am just about as stress free as possible. Big difference.
Douglas Justice – *YOU* “get it” This isn’t about the juvenile idiot drivers, the trucking companies or their money or their hiring practices $26M is not gonna bring this guy’s wife back. I bet he would pay back all the money and more to get her back.
I’m not gonna try to tell another trucker what jokes he can make. I don;t see *ANYTHING* funny here. Ironic yes, expected…maybe a little but funny *NOT A BIT*
Can’t fix stupid but stupid can go to jail and stupid can pay but stupid will always be welcome at swift transportation
What is your deal with Swift ? Did they refuse to hire you, or fire you or what ?
He’s probably just seen how they drive or been victim of their business practices. You know how they do, cut rates and move in on an account.
This was a few years ago?!
We’re just now hearing about it??!! The 4 of them all belong in jail and lifetime CDL ban.
I guess this was finally settled in court is why its being reported
Well, now that Hog-a-boom has been named, he won’t be working for Swift much longer. The court of public opinion will find him guilty of being a road hog, a quick googling of his name by hiring managers will pull up this story, and he will be blackballed from all driving jobs. Good. Motorhome delivery drivers are terrible drivers anyway.
There is no more vacancies for bad drivers. Companies that hire idiots like these deserve to have to pay hundreds of millions. It’s the best way to eliminate bad drivers.
Perfectly said!!! I’m tired and I’m pretty sure a lot of others are fed up with being catoragized with drivers like these guys. Idiots flooded the trucking industry in a matter of no time and it’ll be an eternity before it gets fixed if ever at all. I gotta get out that seat and on to something new.
Hey, that’s capitalism for ya… Profits, profits, profits. Always about the bottom line….
Those types of people have no business being in a truck. They do this stupidness, kill someone, then they’ll be the first ones to gripe about all government regulations
Totally agree
Totally agree
Sad story. Hilarious ending. Wondering why Hogshit wasn’t charged for leaving the scene of a accident…or sued by company. He seems to have started the chain of events.
I don’t get it. How was hogaboom involved if he was driving a RV? They make it out to be that he wasn’t driving a tractor trailer. And he should have been giving some years and Decou should have been given life for his actions. Other two drivers should have been given years as well and had there license taken away for good for any kind of trucking positions
Unfortunately, this is a very easy industry to hide in. You wouldn’t believe the applicants I get on a daily basis wanting to take control of 80,000 pounds of equipment at 70 miles per hour. Fatal accidents, failed drug tests, multiple speeding violations, felony warrants, the list goes on and on. If Swift were doing their due diligence, there should be now way this driver is behind the wheel. This incident would show up in a couple different checks that should be done pre hire. The only way I can see it not showing up is that he went to work right after this incident, before the information had time to make it onto his record. However, there is a required annual review of his record that should flag this, if it is being done as prescribed.
How do you do road rage for 90 miles? Wow
Willful wanton premeditated reckless driving for 85 of the 90 miles.
Exactly what I was thinking…90 miles of aggression seems to me like pure insanity!
I’ve driven A truck I also was A police officer. I can tell you one thing they all should have been sued too it was either companies falt in thier drivers actions and the motor home driver was to blame as the truck drivers it’s called mutual responsibility. You share the road with other motorist everyone has to do there part to be safe and be responsible for your actions.. this could have been prevented if the motor home driver wouldn’t have been playing the part and could have let him in line again…
I agree, they also need to come up with some harsh penalties for these brake checkers,someone has told them they are not at fault if they get hit from behind. The dash cameras in most vehicles now can show what the intent is.
I run a dash cam in truck and my personal vehicles. My personal vehicles have both front and rear facing cameras. Every driver should have them and have them on. No matter what you drive protect your self with a good dash cam. It is a shame but true that far too many of todays trucks drivers shouldn’t be.They don’t know how or when to use a turn signal. Have no idea how close they are to the vehicle they passed and cut in too close. Stupidity is infectious and spreads like a wild fire.
If you had any experience in the trucking industry you would know professional drivers will flash you in when you are clear, or let you know on the radio . It is called good will and respect, something that is only vaguely heard or seen by the present generation of drivers !
Real talk
Very,very true‼️😣
But the truck companies have all the big money insurance is why they sued them.. they cam get the money from them..
No sir, I beg to differ… this all could have been avoided if both drivers had behaved civilly. I can imagine that way back in Idaho where this whole fiasco started, had said mr freakin I’m the only one on this road – Barnes, not most likely been tailgating said mr I’m so darn selfish I’m not going to allow anyone to tailgate me Hogaboom, then none of this would have happened.
Drivers this sort of crap! Happens all to many times, you’re all supposed to be the professionals out there!
So what you’re saying is A police officer can’t spell?
Lol
It could have been prevented by calling 911. Report the brake checking RV driver for road rage. They took the law into their own hands.
In that instance a CDL is required the vehicle is being driven by a contract driver being paid to deliver the vehicle !
A lot of RV’s don’t need CDL’s. All Where at fault. I know it’s hard out there did it for 20 years. When I became a dispatcher. I would encourage the drivers to call me anytime to vent. I would rather them get it off their chest before they go to see a customer or something happens.
If the vehicle is being driven by the owner, as a Recreational Vehicle no CDL is required !
700.000 RV 30k Harley that’s what’s wrong with America
Yes I too wondered why the RV price was mentioned in story??? Does the price mean you have priority on national highway???
That’s capitalism. Are you some kind of Commie or something? Profits are the only thing that matters! ‘murika!
all 4 drivers…
should be EXECUTED, Publicly
That would be a whole game changer.
My sentiments exactly!
Put on their knees in front of a freshly dug pit and ….pew pew….
And you need to move back to Iraq or were ever you came from !
They should all be in prison for life. And it had to be swift that hired that lunatic.
Drivers like these are killing the industry and the reason they keep cramming regulations down are throat
All four should serve serious jail time, and lose their CDL for life !
I see aggressive driving every damn day out here on the Nations Highways…
Far too many truckers are as bad or worse than the 4 wheelers ! Therefore, this story doesn’t surprise me, but it does anger me !
A woman is dead and her husband and Family must suffer…
And Swift hires this guy !!!
I couldn’t sleep at night if I were involved and responsible for this death !
Slow down and keep your distance people!
Totally agree with you.
My new trucking job is 65% work and 35% driving. I get paid 22.50 an hour for 15 hour days (not an American), so ultimately if you choose to cut me off I will drive super slow and hold up everyone behind me for hours and hours, I don’t really care. I’m paid regardless. This is how the trucking industry should be forced to pay drivers, it will eliminate road rage. Furthermore we have dashcam now that are activated by hard braking. So if your an idiot trying to cause an accident, you may be held accountable
Your attitude “I really don’t care” is exactly what encourages road rage. I don’t drive a truck but have been a mechanic on them. Gone are the Knights of the Road who were known for their kindness toward the average citizen driver.
You missed his point… He’s not saying he’ll slow down to upset other drivers who cut him off. He’s saying that he’ll let them pass and just continue to drive safely even if it causes traffic. His overall point is that drivers shouldn’t be rushed by trucking companies to finish their routes.
Cmon get your story straight!
Swift fired the guy long time ago after reviewing he’s false application.
The comments on here are made with the guy still being employed. Nothing in this article said he had been fired by swift and no one, maybe besides you, is going to do a full background report of this guy, to see if he’s still employed by Swift, before posting a comment. So “Do your homework people!” Isn’t appropriate.
Sorry, “Get your story straight.”
Your source for his firing please.
got a link for that?
Heck, Swift probably made him a trainer his first day after orientation.
Yep! Swift, Werner, JB, Scheinder, Willis Shaw in the old days, Just pumping out the “drivers” left and right.
Have to disagree. Schneider has a lot of drivers but they scrutinize very heavily and is a VERY safety conscious company. Dare i say overly so. Most not so smart moves i see are from lack of experience from their drivers. It’s different from when old man Schneider was around but if you do some research you’ll see they have a relatively good score for their size and excellent training and if you do things the way they teach it you’ll avoid a lot of problems. The key word being IF.
I wouldn’t ever work Swift after reading this! OK… so they fired him after they found his false info on application… but seriously, what kind of company can’t find something this horrendous on a persons driving history ?!! 🤬
Unfortunatly too many think every driver at Swift is an idiot. Swift has a bunch of safe million mile drivers.. when you look at them they are not the young stupid drivers of today.Maturity stands out.
Because it was NOT on there when he applied to Swift and must have gotten a no complaint response from DAC so they put him to work ! He was responsible to notify his employer of his court decision within a certain time !
i totally agree , all drivers involved should lose CDL privilege and not be allowed to have any type of drivers license until they have been “reformed”(haha,right)
Hogs boom needs to do a min of 5 yrs/ register as a “Extreme Road Rage Offender” and pay
Sad thing is , that still won’t bring back her life or fix her husband ( needless to say a broken-hearted family)
SWIFT seems to hire ANYBODY. They had a driver that turned out in front of me and I had to run off the road at 55 mph. I would’ve died on impact if I hit him in that cab front tire😡😡😡
Was the RV driver not involved in this?
If you read the thread you will find he is the one who sped up to keep the semi from passing him and then slowed down to hold him out in the opposing lane
I would of just put 17 rounds through the window of the RV and ended it quickly
I have believed and stated for many years that, in my opinion, Swift hires some of the worst drivers in the country. I base this on my observations of their drivers. There is no shortage of truck drivers. This is a lie to justify hiring people that should not be operating large vehicles on our nation’s public roads. There is a shortage of pay and respect in our industry.
I tell you what ,my biggest fear is that when i sleep on truck stop,swift driver would try to park next to me.
that hogaboom guy in the RV should have been charged with something too. if somebody is passing you on a 2 lane, whether its a no passing zone or not, and you deliberatly speed up to prevent them from getting by, then slow down to keep them from getting back over, you’re just as responsible for the crash as the truck passing you was. then the motherfucker fled the scene on top of it all.
Wait, wait. Something doesn’t add up here.
The flatbed company obviously has to pay and is certainly at fault because there was no denying a wrecked truck. Physical evidence is pretty clear.
Where is the evidence linking this other guy to the accident? Is there dash cam footage? After reading the article, I can away with the impression that three morons from a Utah trucking company were messing around and racing each other. Generally being dumbasses, when they caused an accident. Somewhere along the way, one of the aforementioned dumbasses had written down the license plate number of some “jerk” who had cut him off. Everyone knows a lot of drivers don’t like or have respect for transporters. They get in the way of real truckers. They take parking space that real trucks need. They are just drivers that couldn’t make it in real trucking. (I used to do drive-away so I’ve heard it all)
I haven’t seen or heard anything that puts this Hogaboom at the scene or gives him responsibility.
If he is culpable, then yes, fry him, but where’s the evidence?
Eyewitnesses probably, If you have ever ran in that country you would no considerable traffic in both dirrections
Smoot has junk truvks driven by morons…..big surprise
It’s bad enough Swift didn’t vet the driver but I believe this article will do the job Swift failed to.
All drivers involved should already be dead. This case proves again how high paid attorney and closed minded judge will get these drivers back on the road.
Welcome to the party.money talk.money is on top of you own life my brothers.see how this country goes down.what you can expect in a country were the justice department and fbi are in conspiracy again the president. Corruption a top levels of gov.welcome to the new millenium.
It’s unbelievable what passes for a truck driver today. Just this morning I watched a land star driver try to pass a car on the shoulder of I-55 just south of Blytheville, Ar. When he couldn’t get around it, he ran up within 18 inches of the cars back bumper, terrifying the car driver. A half mile down the road he came over on top of a southern refrigerated truck, forcing that driver onto the shoulder. In 28 yrs. of driving, I’ve never called in on another driver, but I called on this idiot. Called his company, and the state police. The beginning of the end was auto transmission trucks. When companies started dumbing down equipment, instead of competing for skilled drivers, it started going downhill.
I totally agree i personally know drivers who ABSOLUTELY would not be truckers if they had to drive manual transmissions. I never thought the day would come when you have truck drivers who don’t know how to drive a manual transmission
So true
Yep automatic transmissions…they make people too confident too soon…they don’t learn to respect what they are doing…just mash on it…Mash on it driver!…go go go..it’s easy!…don’t worry about stopping…hell don’t even give it a thought…it goes as easy as your car…I’m sure it stops as good too…no as a 30 year veteran I don’t regard you newbies as professional…or my equal yet…if you were then you’d act like it…by not tailgating…using turn signals…not holding up traffic so your 66 mph truck can pass a 65 mph truck…thanking other drivers…waiting to pull in front when you pass when there is actually a safe distance between us…not speeding in work zones…or being arrogant about expecting others to speed…treat others the way you’d want to be treated…and showing some respect to those who are driving in a professional manner…and some of you veterans are just as guilty…we all make mistakes…when you do apologize for it…don’t make excuses…own it…it’s called being an adult…which is sort of a prerequisite for what we do isn’t it?
Well said sir, Thank you.
Sounds like you are a snitch and whiner! I don’t believe anything you said unless you were tailgating the hell out of the Landstar driver. I drive for Landstar and no…I’ve never seen any Landstar driver or any other truck driver try to pass on the shoulder of the road…I’ve seen plenty of 4 wheelers do it! I just find your story questionable…
Lucky swift @ least they know they have a driver that’s not going to take no $#!+ off of no one even if it makes a husband a wido
This guy should have a life sentence not a job an where
You can not allow your emotions get in the way of
Being a professional out here
This guy took his chances cost someone there life then gets another job he should be blackballed out of the industry
Hogaboom as i understand was going slow below limit, when other trucks didn’t have a way to pass him, not letting them go with their intended speed. Basically holding them up from doing their job. Making them angry. Than when they had any chance to pass he was speeding up making them even more angry. That was going on and on. So than one of the trucks started passing illegally when his patience ended (after 90 miles), and accident happened. I think Hogaboom is more guilty than anybody else. He initiated this whole situation. Even God Him Self acording to Bible has long patience. Long but it doesn’t say everlasting patience. And humans are much weaker, so this guy was patient for 90 miles around hour and a half drive. Ofcourse it would be better for him to stop and let stupid Hogaboom guy go. But that’s forgiveness and he didn’t have that in his arsenal only 1.5hr long patience. Pride and arrogance kills forgiveness. We all need God to learn and get good quality’s from Him. We need to humble our selves before Him and before each other. If we respect everyone above our selves, problems like this wouldn’t occur. All participants are quilty here. Maybe Hoogaboom was in his lane but he did what devil whispered in his ear and tried weak people over the limit of their patience. And the flatbed driver is guilty of not having good christian quality’s and violating traffic rules. Watch out for those Hogaboomlike (satan slaves) on the road. You see some one is acting stupid and starts playing on the road. Slow down let them go. We are not on the road to play games if any body is. We are here to do the job and make living for our family’s. Have a safe trip brothers be strong. Patience and forgiveness are quality’s of stronger spirit. And weak ones will initially punish them selves. So forgive them now.
Dont worry they are pushing the autonomous trucks. Within ten years, there won’t be any truck drivers. If you are just starting out in the industry, you better go back to school and learn a new trade.
Truck driving will be a thing of the past
you still need a driver in the truck and it will not happen in 10 years here Maybe China
These companies care more about money than driver’s but all I can see happening is that they force unemployment to rise and then who is going to buy there customers product.
How the hell did he get another job driving after all this??
Swift must be desperate.
I’m glad I’m out of that racket. 39 years is enough and all this road rage is crazy. It was fun while it lasted but the “freedom of the road” is over.
The two companies drivers are stupid you can’t get back a life but the company who went the court to not pay up is the biggest loser should have open up your cookie jar sooner joke on them.
How the hell did he get a job anyplace with this happening?
Just pay up and retain your drivers to know they can lose everything they work for in a bad err of judgment.
What could you possibly do to a motor home to make it cost 750 grand??? Unless they put 600 grand worth of gold inside
If you were really interested in the answer to that question, you could Google it. Here’s one link -https://www.northtrailrv.com/inventory/newmar/essex/mhd
Can not believe anyone could be that uninformed ! Go to Craigslist click on RV& dampers, scroll through at least a dozen at any time !
Gotta find a way to get that rv pulled over then
Play king of the hill ,leave others out of it….
90 miles and none of them thought things were out of hand? No one felt like it was ridiculous and they should stop? I might be able to understand a few miles. But 90? That’s what, 1.5 to 2 hours of raging?
90 miles and no one called the cops not even ones that were not involved
Large Trucking companies have trainees teaching trainees. These new self centered young truck drivers are the entitlement generation. They make their own rules of driving they have no respect for anyone or anything. They are a sick and foolish breed. CARELESS AND RECKLESS be safe out there and GODBLESS.
Agree
One is jailed the other one is somewhere recksheking fenders in a truck stops omg. Stupid drivers. There is no place for arrogance and selfishness in this industry. We all important, if you want to pass me go head, like it’s going to do you any better these days.
Wow i was terminated from swift for a ticket and they hire some pos like that!
What about the driver of the motor home, nothing happened to him
They all should be in jail!!! Truckers and Mr. Rv. I dont understand how u can have such road rage to take a life and for 90 miles. I get that nobody is perfect. We all have had our pains on this road but it really pisses me off that u have to do training for 21 days. I’ve been out here 14 yrs and still dont know everything. Everyday is different. They need to stop letting drivers with only 6 months experience train. Hell, they dont know shit about this job. I had 8 weeks with a trainer. People do not understand the kind of weight we carry. U dont play with that. I’m so sorry that man lost his wife needlessly. My prayers go up for him and his family.
you would think after 90 miles they would have gotten some common sense and took time to smell the roses and think what hell are we doing here I would have backed off and let it go or pulled over somewhere and took a little break I probably would not have even gotten involved in the 1st place
And you think after 8 weeks you have any authority to comment about the industry !!! After 8 years , if you are still driving Without a blemish on your record then maybe !
Well hogaboon or what ever well he was driving.he was at fault too. So explain why his actions by Oregon State Police and other agencies pursue him.he fled scene.wow so payoff to cops somewhere.
I would be curious to all the cdl drivers age. I hear 18year old is now the hiring age. The actions of these drivers certainly prove it.
No they are still waiting on a bill to get approved
90 miles???
Went on for over an HOUR.?.
Guess you either know better, or you really, really don’t.
Sad.
Now works for Swift …. lol
He should be fired from swift if swift knows about it ,truck drivers today are immature they need to grow up,I drove for 32 yrs ,if u have crazy driver with road rage back off, let them go,if they don’t go call police .
Pathetic world we have become!
Really he has another chance to cause even more damage, honestly after 35 years driving swift should be sued by the victims for being dumb anough to hire someone with road rage, our industry is corrupt anough don’t let someone like that drive a truck because If swift will hire someone like that and kills anyone that I know betcha we will put them out of business
I would hope this goes viral if not believe me there’s other avenues
Such young punks they have on the road, who think that getting passed up is a threat to their manhood or something. Unbelievable they will let their own egos threaten the public safety. As a professional driver you I always slow down to ensure safe passage of the truck in passing lane. It is the professional thing to do.
My God only 75 months!!?!! And he got to keep his CDL AND Swift Hired this driver. WTF was DOT??? For 90 miles? There is a whole lot of dereliction around this entire ordeal. And a innocent family had to pay the price these reckless fools.
Better watch out for they will be trying to find away to take the Truck’s away from the public next.. they are talking about taking the guns aesy now
After 4 decades on the road, I am happy to be retired and off of Sesame Street. I saw a lot of changes from the end of the 60’s to the 2000’s, most were not good.
Started driving in in 1969 for pipeline Company out of Houston TX. Retied in 2008. I agree lots of changes, lots of good people gone, the whole industry is becoming a cash box for owners and politicians and sweat shop for O/O, and drivers !
You armchair lawyers need to learn reading comprehension and critical thinking.
The fact that Hogaboom was driving a “luxury $750,000” motorhome is of no importance to the story. Nor is the fact that Hogaboom now drives for Swift.
Missing is information on what charges were initially filed, and whether any of the other drivers were charged. Were there any criminal trials associated? Also, how were the actual damages split between the individuals and/or companies?
There is quite a bit missing from this story.
Blah blah, I agree with most of y’all. But know this, my turn signal is not a way of me “asking permission “ to make a lane change. It is a signal to other drivers of my intention of make a lane change. When I make that lane change if you choose to speed up to close the gap, well, that’s on you.
Blah blah, I agree with most of y’all. But know this, my turn signal is not a way of me “asking permission “ to make a lane change. It is a signal to other drivers of my intention of make a lane change. When I make that lane change if you choose to speed up to close the gap, well, that’s on you.
Well said..
I think they all should have gotten some prison time but the one that actually killed her should have gotten life and the motorhome driver should have gotten at least 20 years as he was responsible at least for 35-40 % off the accident
If someone is brake checking you and harassing you put your flashers on and pull over until there long gone.DON’T ENGAGE THEIR STUPIDITY
It amazes me of the sheer level of ignorance I see EVERY SINGLE DAY of people with extremely dangerously dumb and petty driving behavior.
Grown adults!!! I’ll give you all a few examples of your stupidity:
1) You’re quick enough to catch up to a slower truck, but will ride next to it as if you’re trying to gauge how fast they’re going and wont speed pass until theres a vehicle on the shoulder or approaching an entrance ramp to keep the vehicle next to you from being able to get over to avoid an accident.
2) You speed past a truck just so you can cut them off then begin to slow down.
3) Multiple lanes. But you’d rather ride within inches of another vehicle than to get over in another lane until you’ve safely past.
If any of this pertains to you, then you are indeed a silly ignorant childlike individual who has yet to fully develop mentally as a functioning stable adult. And you DEFINITELY should NOT be behind the wheel of ANY vehicle including a commercial vehicle. You are a danger to yourself and everyone driving around you as well as a threat to your livelihood.
Yes that’s right he works for Swift is Swift that desperate. How can any of them face another day knowing they all participated in killing that woman and injuring her husband. Truck Driving is not a game.
Went to wrong place lol
SWIFT = Sure Wish I’d Finish Training. Of course they hired him.
The companies didnt do it.
After 90 minutes, I wouldn’t call it “Road Rage.” Rather, pure negligence with NO concern for the lives of others. Hard to stay PO’d for 90 minutes without coming to one’s senses. These drivers are criminals.
90% of you did not read close enough. No company out there would know about this incident. He left the scene and was never charged in this matter. There was no physical contact with the RV. His company never claimed any responsibility in the matter. Therefore there is NO RECORD ON HIM TO TRACK. Do see the importance of cameras on your trucks. It would be the only evidence that the RV was there. A lot of Swift haters out there. Mostly just haters.
american laws are messed up …. someone hires and pays a driver to drive your truck follow the law and keep the truck in good working order. you hire people based largely on trust and when they do something like this its 100% the companies fault??? FIRE ALL TRUCK DRIVERS probably the best way to fix this and pay 125k extra for a truck that drives it self
Is this really Truckers Report? Cause this story sounds like it’s from The Onion.
Moral of the story,swift will hire anything with a heartbeat. This incident probably moved him up the list with swift.” No road rage,no head on collisions?no thanks, we’re looking for people with the right experience “.one of their drivers ran over me about a month ago. Around 1 a.m I was headed to the e r with chest pains,got off I 12 in Hammond la.,behind a swift driver,headed south on railroad ave.toward the hospital, swift stayed in the right lane like he was going to the petro so I got in the left lane to proceed on to the e r and when I was around the middle of his trailer he came over on top of me and I had to jump the center divider to keep from being smashed completely.followed him into the pilot across from petro and he swore up and down that he didn’t hit me.called the police and she said he would be ticketed because there was blue paint from my brand new GMC Acadia down the bottom rail of his trailer where he hit my mirror and back fender.got the police report and she didn’t ticket him.called swift and they won’t fix it as if I had nothing better to do than stand behind the pilot at two a m and argue with a Mexican who allegedly doesn’t speak English about a 300.00 scratch on my car.so I’ll fix it, or my cousin will because he has a body shop and I’ll vandalize or call the police on every swift truck I see from here on out.in fact,I had one towed from the exit ramp where there are no parking signs every ten feet just a couple of weeks ago. What kind of idiot sleeps on the off ramp where drunks are exiting at 80 mph when they could go a few more feet and stop on the on ramp where people are only up to 30 mph?people who don’t know any better obviously. Guess when someone runs under the back of their trailer in a no parking zone on the off ramp they’ll deny they were parked there. Swift is a joke with the worse drivers on the planet.but as grandpa always said ” you get what you pay for “,swift drivers are a perfect example.
Why are any of them ever allowed to drive a commercial vehicle again?
Hugabum:
Failure to yield the right away for speeding up.
reckless endangerment for slowing down.
Murder 1 for intentional homicide.
I think the law got this all wrong (again.) Hugabum got away with murder.
They’re to many Hugabum’s out there. It’s hard when you’re in a governed truck, I used to be! Just stop and get a coffee, and let Hugabum go up the road. You’ll be happier.
To all you governed drivers riding in the passing lane, not willing to move over and let some one by, you’re a Hugabum. Nothing better!
Some of these drivers need to be mentally evaluated. U got some that like to stay in the middle of the lane acting like they cant see the lines that separates each lane. I catch a few laughing while passing thinking stuff funny. Every truck needs a dash cam it need to be a requirement for every truck on the road. That will stop some of these idiots ranges. And if u dont agrea to this message your the freaken problem most likely…
Be a perfessional period. Were big on the road period some could see others on there phones. Stop assuming they could see us. I see other truck drivers cutting people off by a hair all the time….
A driver can go home, take a puff of weed on Saturday, go to work on Monday, get drug tested and get banned for ten years (mind you, he caused no deaths or accidents) but these three caused a preventable death and not be either banned from the industry nor do jail time? Something is seriously wrong with this picture. I left Williston, ND because of the crazy people who they began to hire that didnt understand how to share a road regardless of all the money we were ALL making up there.
I had over 5,000,000 accident free miles in my 46 years before I retired, and I do believe if that motorhome driver had pulled that crap with me on a two lane road I’d have put him and me both in the grass before I would have hit an innocent motorist. So glad I’m off the road now.
.and what Lucky said. There is only a smidgen of professional drivers still out here. Maybe 3-5%. The rest are just a bunch of derelicts that can’t even spell ‘professional’, much less even know what it means, 10-4.
First things first road conditions weather conditions attitudes and temperaments all played and this dangerous situation it’s been a long time since I’ve been on that road and I’ve got three million miles and 30 years out here I got off because of major surgery to my gut reading all these comments I see my opinion we’ve got a bunch of steering wheel holders not fellas that know how to drive safe and take care a business and that situation these guys should have slowed up that the RV go on down the road these drivers could have pulled over and just cool down because of a guy I think was not professional gentlemen we are professionals out here we are supposed to know the rules the regulations by what we can run by with a clear conscience without attitude and a bad temperament the way the industry is going because of the Eld automatic transmissions Trucking is no fun any more I’ve driven a lot of different trucks and hauled million-dollar loads had customers asking for me because of my attitude temperament was tuned 2 the job of getting there commodities to destination as far as I’m concerned there’s too many steering wheel holders out there that don’t know how 2 handle 80000 pounds safely I have been in trucking most of my life because my dad what’s an owner operator as a teenager I changed oil in his trucks served in the Navy and truck with my dad after service in 1970 I went to school on my Navy benefit and I was in training I felt 4 18 months to 2 years a lot of these guys don’t have the moxie to be a good driver because they don’t want to listen to the seniors such as myself the attitude is hooray for me and the hell with you and I say exactly what’s happened because of this accident and this man losing his wife there was no reason for it all involved should have had their license is pulled permanently not able to put any vehicle on the road at any time for the rest of his life he’s entitled to either foot traffic or a bike pedal bike not a motorcycle this story should be a good training and a deterrent to what can happen when you screw up you lose your livelihood I lose my CDL and I might as well commit suicide if I killed someone in this situation I wouldn’t be able to live with myself I’ve got over 3 million miles as a outlaw and I never let myself get into a situation as this accident you go fast when you get a chance and slow down otherwise I’ve been long-winded and this scenario I just hope people who read it I’ll stop and think your life other lives come first equipment and loads come last a person’s life is more important that a damn truck and it’s loads as we used to say in the old days keep the dirty side down the shiny side up drive safe there’s a lot of nuts out there and this accident proved it
I hope that when people read my comment….they’ll stop and think about it, attitude and temperament has no place on the road….It is wrapped up 1 Word, stupid..(no brain’s,. ego)
When ever you hear ; he cut me off and Slammed on the brakes, you know it’s not a Lie. Hagabafoon, I’ll be WATCHING YOU.
Boy, things must be bad over there at Swift if they couldn’t find a better, more qualified driver than this slapnut. If this guy does anything else, Swift has already opened themselves up for lawsuits because it’ll be one of those “Swift knew or should have known” deals.
Swift has political backings and big time Law Firms that protects them, just like CRIME I SAY PRIME INC.
Mr Hogaboom shouldve pulled over and waited for a better class of traveling companions..
Would not have to live with this womans death on his consience..
Horizon drivers shouldve all been jailed and lost CDL for life..
Period…
I understand the drivers frustration- I drive on 2 lane roads mostly and it happens several times daily. People hurry to pass you- only to turn into a driveway 10 seconds later. However there is no excuse for what they did. The definitely should have thei CDL suspended at minimum. However, I also think the person in the motor home should be ticketed also. They created a hazardous driving environment for people with their initial cutting off of the truck
I escort OVERSIZE loads all the time and all I here is truckers talking about how professional “they” are and cars are in their way. WELL who was in the way here and an innocent person lost her life and a man lost his wife. Professional “drivers” truck or car would have slowed down let the RV move on and then everyone go about their business of driving defensively. Swift Transportation will hire anyone any 70 months in jail is far too little.
This should be a advertisement to not drive around Swift trucks , they will hire anyone. We are all aware of the suicide drivers that pull around n slam on brakes. For whatever reason he purposely plaid chicken rather than let them by as soon as possible dropped back for safety sake “ she may be alive today and a family preserved. SWIFT DRIVERS DON’t COUNT ON THEM ADVERTISING SAFETY COMES FIRST”
As an owner of an OTR Company , I take no accident employees. I can only hope her husband does not believe all truck drivers are like that. Our prayers go with him
How did this guy get away with not letting the passing truck back over causing a fatality. Even though the three other drivers were at fault why wasn’t he charged too?
oh yes indeed it was only a matter of time..once the tracking industry was ruined with CSA the expediting industry got ruined and now the driveway has this doesn’t surprise me though.
you see folks there’s a lot of companies out there that are in the driveway that are worth a damn. many of these ones are the Indiana and a shadow of what they used to be even 10 years ago.. horizon has known for hiring idiots Indiana transport is another joke pretty much if it doesn’t say Bennett stay away.
Marsha will not tolerate DMF’s. but again the problem is where it lies people think they can make all kinds of money doing drive away they don’t realize what it entails and they also don’t realize it’s not the same industry just like Trucking.
so basically what you have with them all involved are a bunch of CSA Wonder Boys & New breed drive-away dorks.
continuing to tarnish the reputation of the once-proud professional generation because we have to be loved in with stugots’ like these Mormon morons and other losers
“he now drives for Swift”?…he should be in prison…look up the legal principal of ” last clear chance”…his actions were those finally responsible for the accidents by deliberately not providing an “out” for the other driver to avoid the wreck…POS..but I guess every night when he likes in bed and stairs at the ceiling in total silence he knows that too…he belongs in a cage…
“lies” and “stares”…but y’all new what I meant..
Hogalane or hogaboom should have went to prison if they proved the hog hogged the safe lane and caused the manslauter of innocent travelers…I’m pretty sure he can still be charged if anyone is listening out there. He had to have played the throttle just right to cause the impact I’ve been in that situation years ago passing and had to lock up & hook to the right missing the head on by 10ft & almost taking the hogs trl. off the road. I learned the hard way..latter that night about 400 mi up the road I was fueling when sob came up and was pissed off? It was the hog! I shot him in the face with a 4gal sqweeze of fuel & kicked him in the stomach and went and parked & slept like a baby…never seen him again. Just let them pass even if you have to slow up 30seconds in nothing in long haul truck take it easy. 15yr trucker no accidents….dont kill anybody be cool.
Another Swift moment….
When all of the others have closed their doors, Swift remains open with red carpet….Unreal….this is the exact reason why I stay clear of any Swift driver on the road because you never know who is behind that wheel…not all are bad but just stay a safe distance away from them
iI this altercation was between only two people I doubt it would have gone on so long, but the Smoot drivers had each other to back them selves up with so it just continued. Two on one. they built their aggressiveness off of each other towards the other person and it resulted in a death. Simply put, it was a severe case of stupidity. This is not a rare situation in the industry. Aggressiveness is a growing concern.It is happening all too often on our highways. It starts more often than not with something simple and unintentional. Like when another another vehicle passes and pulls in too close and it gets out of hand. Typically like the car the pulls in too close then their brake lights come on. It starts all over again. Hundreds of times a day all over the country.Just different players.
I really like to read opinions posted here by the highly regarded self appointed legal defense attorneys that drive or think they drive a CMV. The astounding knowledge of the accident and having never been there . Never examined the evidence but take the printed word of a so called reporter as absolute truth. This intelligence and education being wasted on truck driving when it should be used in the court rooms. Crime would be reduced by 30% nearly over night to say nothing about severely reducing the road rage being committed on our highways today.