CHP hopes random inspections prevent big rig crashes

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (KGO) -- For a commercial trucker, it can happen anytime and anywhere on Bay Area highways: random inspections of commercial trucks.

"We can't get 'em all," said Paul McIntyre, with the CHP.

McIntyre and this crew were in Walnut Creek to do random inspections to prevent crashes like the one on Monday in Pittsburg.

The California Highway Patrol says it has a list of violations that suggest that Monday's deadly accident, in which a big rig slammed into a strip mall, killing the driver, could have been prevented. The driver, Ewell Levy, 52, and a father of six, was carrying two loads of gravel when he lost control.

ABC7 News spent the day with the highway patrol to see what they're doing to prevent this sort of tragedy from occurring again.

"He was in trouble. I heard it from the sound," said Marvin Tompkins-Dod, a witness.

Later, a driver and former employee of Roby Trucking, which owns the semi, called ABC7 News with a long list of recurring safety problems on company rigs.

"Harvey," who wants to hide his identity, complained of tires, brakes, drums, air lines, oil lines and water lines. These are complaints and violations that the CHP confirmed.

It turns out, Roby Trucking has a dubious record.

The California Highway Patrol provided a stack of violations, which included all sorts of problems that came as no surprise to present and former employees. For example, in one case a big rig was driven without a lug nut.

Yet, Roby trucks remain on Bay Area highways.

Records show inspectors pulled rigs off the road for bad brakes last January. But by law, the CHP must give Roby 120 days to prove it has fixed the problem.

"If they are found to be in violation of those errors, then the company can be put out of business completely," explained Daniel Hill with the CHP.

As its investigation continues, the CHP plans yet another visit to the Roby trucking yard in Vallejo. The company has failed its last two inspections.

Meanwhile, back in Walnut Creek inspectors found two tires on the rear axle of another truck almost bare in places.

"Unfortunately, he is endangering the motoring public," said McIntyre of the that driver. They cited the owner and pulled this truck off the highway until a mechanic can come along to fix it.