CHARLES CITY – A truck driver who has been cited four times in the past for unsafe practices drove his semi truck into a light pole in Charles City, causing up to $30,000 in damage.
According to Charles City police, on May 21 at about 6 AM, officers discovered an vehicle accident near the 100 block of North Main Street. A fully-loaded semi tractor and trailer was attempting to turn around in the parking lot there and struck a light pole. The concrete base of the pole severely damaged the dual tires on the back of the trailer. Mid-American Energy inspected the light pole, and is has minimal damage.
Police estimated the damage to the semi-trailer to be $30,000.
As a result, the driver of the semi, 46-year-old Paramjit Singh Sandhu of Brampton, Ontario, Canada, was cited for an unspecified traffic violation.
According to court records, Sandhu has been cited at least four previous times in Iowa alone, including citations for max hours violations (twice) and failure to comply with safety regulations (twice).