CHEYENNE, WYOMING — A routine traffic stop turned dangerous early Monday morning when an overloaded semi-truck rolled backward and crushed the front of a Laramie County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle, an incident authorities say reflects a troubling trend in commercial vehicle violations.

^{Photo credit: Laramie County Sheriff’s Office}

The stop occurred around 5:49 a.m. on County Road 213 in Burns after a deputy observed multiple safety issues: inoperable brakes, a broken frame, three flat tires, and an apparently overweight load. Wyoming Highway Patrol conducted a full inspection and documented 23 out-of-service violations, meaning the truck was legally prohibited from operating until repairs were made.

^{Photo credit: Laramie County Sheriff’s Office}

Sheriff Brian Kozak said the driver not only lacked a commercial driver’s license but also was not legally in the United States. The individual, who could not speak English and reportedly did not understand the deputy’s instructions, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

^{Photo credit: Laramie County Sheriff’s Office}

The semi — hauling sand and weighing nearly 100,000 pounds, about 20,000 pounds over the permitted limit for that roadway — rolled backward as the deputy approached, striking and denting the patrol car’s hood. No injuries were reported.

^{Photo credit: Laramie County Sheriff’s Office}

Kozak said the incident highlights both safety risks and what he describes as a rising pattern of repeat offenders operating unsafe or unauthorized commercial vehicles, many of whom lack proper licensing or legal status. He linked these issues to the sheriff’s office decision to participate in federal 287(g) agreements, allowing certain deputies to perform limited immigration enforcement duties.

^{Photo credit: Laramie County Sheriff’s Office}

The truck involved belongs to Vega Transportation LLC, an Akron, Colorado, company that, according to USDOT records, currently has no authorized interstate operating authority. Kozak encountered the company’s owner at the tow yard and said the owner also lacked a CDL but intended to drive the truck away before being shown the inspection report listing 23 required repairs.

The sheriff’s office has increased enforcement this year through its traffic unit and targeted initiatives such as Operation Safe Haul, a three-day joint operation with ICE and Wyoming Highway Patrol. That effort led to 133 commercial inspections, 44 vehicles and 38 drivers placed out of service, and 40 individuals turned over to ICE.

Kozak says unqualified drivers and unsafe trucks not only endanger the public but also undercut legitimate trucking companies that follow state and federal regulations.

“This is causing a bad reputation for those truckers who are doing it right,” Kozak said in a video posted on social media. “We’re going to focus on unlicensed, undocumented, unsafe truckers and trucking companies until this situation turns around.”

According to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, the investigation and enforcement actions are ongoing and the sheriff’s office has reported the company to USDOT.

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