5 Investigates: Truck driver charged in deadly motorcycle crash had two OUI arrests
The Massachusetts man facing negligent homicide charges in connection with a New Hampshire crash that killed seven motorcyclists has a history of driving under the influence charges and license suspensions, 5 Investigates found.
According to RMV documents, 23-year-old Volodoymyr Zhukovskyy's license has been suspended as of Monday under the state’s immediate threat clause.
Zhukovskyy was charged with operating under the influence of liquor in June 2013 in Westfield, and his license was suspended at that time as well as an “immediate threat,” according to RMV records.
5 Investigates found that case was continued without a finding and he was put on probation for a year and ordered to complete a driver alcohol education program. Other charges, including leaving the scene of an accident, were dropped, 5 Investigates found.
Since 2012, Zhukovskyy has had two surchargeable accidents and was cited in March 2019 for an improper lane change in Iowa, 5 Investigates found.
According to court records, Zhukovskyy was arrested in East Windsor, Connecticut, on the morning of May 11 and charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, 5 Investigates found. Zhukovskyy posted bail, was released and was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.
Zhukovskyy, when reached by phone over the weekend before his arrest in Massachusetts, told WMUR, "It was a big tragedy. I'm trying to process this with my family. I'm feeling shocked It happened so fast. I am cooperating with police. I feel mentally hurt."
Zhukovskyy, who was the only occupant of the truck, is an employee of Westfield Transport Inc. of Massachusetts, officials said.
5 Investigates also reviewed U.S. DOT records for Westfield Transport. The company has been operating for about 8 years.
Since the start of 2018, the company's trucks and drivers have been inspected 45 times by law enforcement in several states.
In about half of those inspections the company racked up 65 violations ranging from minor to severe, according to records.
5 Investigates found the company had seven different violations for brakes on vehicles being defective or not up to standards.
Records show that twice in March 2018, in Massachusetts and Vermont, drivers were cited for drug possession while behind the wheel of the same Dodge 2500 pickup truck involved in Friday's crash.
In the incident in Vermont, Department of Safety Records show that a trooper detected "an odor of fresh marijuana in the truck." The driver consented to a search and "admitted there was a marijuana pipe in the truck."
According to documents, the search also turned up a rolling paper device, a grinder with less than 1 gram of marijuana in it, a sandwich bag containing more than six grams of marijuana and a plastic container containing more marijuana.
The driver was the only person in the truck.
The owner of the trucking company said "no comment" when asked by 5 Investigates about the crash.