When Tennessee state trooper Corey Stuart started his shift on October 25th, you can bet that the recent graduate of the highway patrol cadet academy didn’t think that he’d be pursuing a trucker trying to flee on foot. But after a routine inspection of what turned out to be a stolen trailer, that’s exactly what happened.
Oreste Garcia of Orlando, FL was signaled to pull in to a weigh station in Manchester at about 2:40 am. According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol press release, after he exhibited what was referred to as suspicious behavior, Trooper Stuart asked to see Garcia’s logbook and started to conduct a Level III inspection.
Garcia returned to his cab under the pretense of retrieving his logbook, but then took off into the woods. Stuart called in two other state troopers, and they caught up with Garcia about a mile away on Interstate 24. When they inspected the vehicle, police found 18 pallets of cell phones, which together with the trailer is valued at around $200,000. It turns out that the trailer had been reported stolen from Jeffersonville, IN.
This is not Garcia’s first criminal conviction. In 2008, he was sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay $50,580 for stealing freight and shipping it across state lines. He currently remains in the Coffee County Jail on a $506,000 bond for his current charges of felony theft of property, refusal of drug inspection, and evading arrest.
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Source: landline
Pete says
Many times, the freight we haul is an attractive target for thieves. Unfortunately, the focus becomes materialistic or monetary rather than on the true tragedy. What about the poor guy hauling a load that was stolen or, the guy that was mugged for the keys to his truck. I could go on.
I don’t know all of the particulars pertaining to this situation but, I feel a mention at least is in order of the innocent victim of the theft. Who was the victim? Is the victim alright?
I personally feel any who steal a truck, or from a truck, should go to jail for a very very long time. We’re out here trying to provide a service as we provide for our families. This sort of lawlessness and disregard should be severely punished.
bilbo baggins says
He stole the cell phones in order to pay back the $50,000 in restitution. Cut the guy some slack.
Outlaw says
This is the kind of “driver” that gives real truckers a bad name. Keep this slime ball for the long haul … about 30 years.
Nontrainable says
A ten cent bullet would not only save taxpayers a huge amount of money for locking up this dirtbag
it might deter more dirtbags from doing the same thing if more people were severely punished!
Make an example out of these parasites!
Gio says
It’s to bad drivers aren’t allowed to carry a weapon. Thieves know this, we become easy targets and some drivers have lost their lives over very li
ttle money.
under paid / overworked says
so 1 trucker got caught, what else is new? The dot needs to crack down on the brokers,companies and their comrads who support this bullsh** . Until then we will still all be listed unskilled drivers/labor.
Joseph says
They use to hang folks like this for stealing horses. Need I say more?
mike says
no matter what was stolen it is a federal offense.Some where ,some how that truck crossed a state lie,thus making it interstate transportation of stolen property.Thus a federal offense.
lowboy says
hey they a dollar now but still cheaper
BLACKMARKESS says
i really feel for the driver who had the trailor stole from him .but i cant understand why truckers dont stand up for their self they have the power to put a stop to it but wont or to scared to do any thing .thats why we are ttreated like we are …
BLACKMARKESS says
we rea allowed to carry a gun with you i carrie my 357 with me and i have showed it to every trooper who has either stoped me and i have a carrie permitt so get a carrie permitt and be safe i am..
mike wade says
where in the heck can you find 10. cent bullets?
PSYCHO says
Who needs a gun when you can kill a man with your bare hands.Since ive got older it takes me longer.
Paul Lathrop says
We most certainly ARE allowed to carry weapons. Some companies forbid drivers to caeey guns, but there are no federal regulations that prohibit it.
Pit Bull says
I would bet that the trailer was stolen from a truckstop where some jerk left his trailer and bobtailed home for his 36 hours.
richard camden says
yes we can carry a gun and u can get a gun permitt for 35 states so u can carry any where. if all truckers get this permitt and start definding them selves it would show the common parasites that we dont play games. i have a smith &wesson 40 that i keep in the truck.it never leaves the truck but i would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. come on drivers stand up for your rights exsercise them and defend yours. if you dont do it no one else will.
Theo says
Who says we can’t carry a weapon? There is no such Federal Law. Get CC permit and carry in states that honor your state’s permit. You can get non-resident permits in Texas. New Hampshire has permits for out-of staters. I’ve been packing since I was 16 and trucking didn’t stop me. American truckers have enough guns to rate as one of the world’s largest armies.
Mortifis says
More than like the it was a drop that that was stolen … not very likely someone would detach a trailer from a tractor in order to steal the trailer.
Mortifis says
I saw a driver get a beaten half to death in Idaho a few months just for taking too long getting his fuel reciept and blocking the island … I can only imagine how many people would be dead if the road raging trucker had a gun … Oh, and Pit Bull Florida isn’t a Province, we do 34 hour resets in the States 😛
John Burleson says
The slime ball had his civil liberties violated!! He had every right to run around in the woods. After all, Oreste Garcia came across the border to take advantage of the rights our ancestors died for–his personal liberty. Just another lesson in keeping our pointy little driver heads unthumped: the world is full of bad guys. And watch out for the staged accident, guys. That one got pulled on me on I-15 at the CA/NV border a few years ago. The idiot never learned to hide his vanity plate before he followed me for 200 miles. I’m sorry I missed him the second time….
John Burleson