4 truck occupants detained after driver found without CDL in Michigan

Federal authorities took four men traveling in a commercial truck into custody in Michigan after a traffic stop revealed the driver did not have a commercial driver’s license, according to authorities.

The incident occurred shortly after 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 11, in Saginaw, Michigan, when a Michigan State Police motor carrier officer stopped a commercial truck hauling a trailer on Hanchett Street near Davenport Avenue, MLive.com reported.

MSP Lt. Kim Vetter said the officer initially stopped the vehicle because of defective equipment and an improperly secured load.

During the inspection, the officer determined that the driver did not have a CDL. Authorities said there were five people in the truck, none of whom spoke English or had identification with them.

Related: More than 100 trucks, four drivers sidelined in recent enforcement actions 

The state police officer contacted U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assist in identifying the occupants.

CBP agents conducted immigration inspections and determined that four of the occupants were Honduran nationals who were unlawfully present in the U.S. after overstaying their visas, according to the agency.

Those four men were taken into federal custody.

The driver was not arrested. He was released after the Michigan State Police officer issued him a citation for driving a commercial vehicle without a CDL. The company that owns the truck also received a citation for defective equipment.

Authorities did not identify the trucking company in the report or provide information about the origin or destination of the truck, what it was hauling, or whether the driver was employed by the carrier.

Why it matters: The incident highlights how routine commercial vehicle inspections can uncover licensing violations as federal and state authorities intensify scrutiny of CDL compliance.

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