What started as a simple case of an employee cleaning out his truck turned into a multi-state chase to recover a company’s big rig.
A trucking company thought they were being generous when they let a freshly terminated driver take his rig home to gather his belongings. But instead of heading straight home, the driver decided to go on a joyride—with a 2020 Mack truck worth serious money.
The story played out in Lawrence County, Ohio, and ended all the way up in Michigan with police getting involved.
🛑 How It All Went Down
- The driver, only on the job for a week, was hauling an oversized load.
- Dispatchers said he ignored his permitted route, claiming “permits don’t matter.”
- Management told him to drop the load immediately. Instead, they terminated him.
- As a courtesy, the company allowed him to take the truck home to Toledo to grab his things.
- Instead of parking, he told his boss he’d “use the truck to find other employment.” 🚨
- GPS tracking showed the truck cruising up I-71 before finally popping up in Lincoln Park, Michigan.
- Michigan police located the truck in a Meijer parking lot. The driver was detained, but not arrested. The truck was impounded until the company could send someone to retrieve it.
👏 Why This Matters
For trucking companies, one bad hire can turn into a nightmare. A single truck represents hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment and cargo, not to mention public safety risks if it’s misused.
And for drivers? Walking off the job doesn’t mean you can drive off with the company wheels.
💡 Lessons for Businesses
- 🔒 Always track company vehicles: GPS saved the day here.
- 📑 Tighten policies: Make it crystal clear what happens after termination.
- 🤝 Follow up immediately: Don’t wait hours to report if a truck goes rogue.
- 🚔 Work with police early: Crossing state lines complicates things—better to have law enforcement on board fast.
🚨 The Takeaway
This one ended without a major crash or missing truck, but it highlights the risks trucking companies face when trust breaks down. A week-long hire turned into a cross-state headache—and a reminder that sometimes the road to “helping out” an ex-employee can lead straight into trouble.
