Washington, D.C. — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has declared a Houston, TX-based motor carrier an “imminent hazard” following a fatal crash last month.

In an announcement on Monday, the FMCSA said it has ordered Koboat Trucking LLC to immediately cease all interstate and intrastate operations.

The motor carrier was served the Federal order on March 4, 2022, the Agency indicated.

The FMCSA’s action came in response to a deadly crash on February 3, 2022 along Interstate 75 in Loudon County, TN.

Christopher Savannah, 43, of Houston, TX, was operating a semi-truck belonging to Koboat Trucking when he ignored a rolling roadblock and crashed into multiple vehicles.

Loudon County Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Jenkins was tragically killed in the accident.

Sgt. Jenkins was removing a ladder from the roadway that had fallen from another vehicle at the time of the crash.

The FMCSA’s subsequent investigation revealed the trucking company “exercised virtually no oversight over its drivers or vehicles and thus abdicated all responsibility for safety.”

“Koboat Trucking’s driver did not have a commercial driver’s license, was prohibited from operating commercial motor vehicles due to a previous positive drug test, and was arrested for being under the influence of marijuana at the time of the crash,” the Agency said.

Further, Koboat Trucking was found to be “egregiously noncompliant” with multiple Federal safety regulations, including: Controlled Substances and Alcohol Use and Testing (49 CFR Part 382); Commercial Driver’s License Standards (49 CFR Part 383); Driver Qualification (49 CFR Part 391); Hours of Service of Drivers (49 CFR Part 395); and vehicle Inspection, Repair, and Maintenance (49 CFR Part 396).

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In addition, the Agency said Koboat Trucking had no safety management controls in place, did not have a program to detect and deter the use of controlled substances by its drivers, did not have a program to ensure its drivers were qualified and licensed, did not have a program to control its drivers’ hours of service, and did not have a program to ensure its vehicles were appropriately inspected and repaired.

Koboat Trucking may also be assessed civil penalties of not less than $11,256 for providing transportation in interstate commerce without operating authority registration, and up to $15,876 for operating a CMV in interstate commerce without USDOT Number registration.