Courts: Truck driver in NC Amtrak crash that injured 55 is a felon and repeat traffic offender
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A truck passes over the train tracks near a sign listing an emergency number for railroad problems on Tuesday, March 10, 2015, in Halifax, N.C. A train collided with a truck, Monday injuring 55 people. The truck with a state trooper escort become stuck in the crossing but no calls were made to Amtrak about the problem, even though the sign should have been visible to the truck driver. (AP Photo /Jonathan Drew) (The Associated Press)
Court records show the truck driver whose oversized rig derailed an Amtrak passenger train and injured 55 people is a convicted felon with a long history of traffic citations.
John Devin Black of Claremont, North Carolina, has been cited for at least a dozen traffic violations, including speeding and driving with a revoked license, according to records reviewed and confirmed by The Associated Press.
One of his most recent arrests was in 2012 in Illinois, where records show he was cited while hauling an overweight load, then failed to appear in court.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Black also served prison time in 1997 after being convicted of felony child abuse.
Black referred questions to his employer, Guy M. Turner Inc. of Greensboro, which declined comment on Wednesday.