A Nevada trucker is banned from commercial driving and interstate commerce after he was arrested twice for driving under the influence in March.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has declared Nevada-licensed commercial driver Julio Perea Ayala to be an imminent hazard to public safety and has ordered him not to operate any commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce.
He was served the federal order on March 26 — less than two weeks after he was arrested for a second time by the Nevada Highway Patrol for driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol while operating a commercial motor vehicle. The arrests came just 12 days apart.
Two arrests in March
On March 5, Ayala was stopped for erratic driving; his blood alcohol content measured 0.337. Less than two weeks later, on March 17, Ayala was pulled over again; his blood alcohol content measured 0.282.
Possessing an alcohol concentration of greater than 0.04 while operating a commercial vehicle weighing more than 26,001 pounds and requiring a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is a violation of federal safety regulations.
On both occasions, Ayala was also charged with having open containers of alcohol and operating a vehicle with expired registration. The Nevada Highway Patrol impounded Ayala’s truck in each instance.
Ayala may not operate a commercial motor vehicle until such time as he successfully completes the statutorily required return-to-duty process overseen by a substance abuse professional, according to the FMCSA.
