CONCORD — The fallout from a crash that killed seven motorcyclists in Randolph, N.H., last week continues as details about the truck company’s safety issues as well as the driver’s criminal record and immigrant status emerged.
The head of the Massachusetts motor vehicle division resigned Tuesday after her agency failed to terminate the commercial driving license of 23-year-old Volodymyr Zhukovskyy.
Massachusetts Department of Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack said in a statement that the state Registry of Motor Vehicles failed to act on information provided by the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles about a drunken driving arrest involving Zhukovskyy.
Pollack said the arrest should have cost him the commercial driving license. As a result, she accepted the resignation of Erin Deveney.
Manny Ribeiro, who survived the crash, said Deveney’s resignation highlighted just one of many revelations about the driver that indicated the crash could have been prevented. But Ribeiro said it also felt “like someone was running around from the problem.”
“We just get to quit and walk away and that’s it,” Ribeiro said. “Story over. See you later until the next time it happens and then the next person steps down. This is what happens every single time.”
The company Zhukovskyy was driving for, Westfield Transport, also has a troubled history.
According to an Associated Press analysis of federal data, Westfield Transport, based in Massachusetts, has faced over 60 violations over the last 24 months, according to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data updated Tuesday.
About one in five inspections of its vehicles ended with federal investigators issuing temporary orders saying the carrier was not authorized to operate. The company’s out-of-service rate is 20.8% — a figure nearly four times greater than the national average of 5.5%.
Federal records show the company has faced seven violations for unsafe driving, which includes speeding in March 2018. That same month, the company faced two violations reported in Massachusetts and Vermont of drivers who were in possession of a narcotic drug or amphetamine.
The company also received 11 other violations related to the fitness of its drivers. Vehicle violations included inoperable head lamps in April and defective brakes in March.
No one answered the phone Wednesday at the company’s office.
“It’s so preventable. It’s so unnecessary,” said Harry Adler, executive director of the Truck Safety Coalition, an advocacy group calling for more federal action on passing stricter truck safety regulations. “When you have these repeated violations, it speaks to the company’s commitment of being a safe operator on the road.”
But in a brief interview with NECN-TV on Monday, the company owner, Dartanyan Gasanov, called the crash a “horrible accident.” He refused to address questions about Zhukovskyy, who had been on the job only three days. He said the company is cooperating with investigators.
Zhukovskyy was arrested Monday at his Massachusetts home. The Dodge pickup he was driving Friday was towing a flatbed trailer and collided with the motorcycles in Randolph, investigators said. He was driving erratically and crossed the center line, according to criminal complaints.
On Tuesday, Zhukovskyy pleaded not guilty in Coos County Court in Lancaster, N.H, to seven counts of negligent homicide. He is being held without bail in the Coos County House of Corrections and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency took steps to ensure the Ukrainian-born Zhukovskyy remains in custody even if his criminal case is dismissed.
Zhukovskyy’s father told the Boston Herald that his son is a Ukrainian citizen and has permanent resident status in the U.S.
Jail Superintendent Ben Champagne said ICE placed a detainer on Zhukovskyy on Tuesday. A detainer means even if the case were to be dismissed, Zhukovskyy would be turned over to ICE for possible deportation. A message was left with Melissa Davis, a public defender for Zhukovskyy, was not returned.
Jury selection in his criminal trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 8.
Prosecutors in Connecticut said Zhukovskyy was arrested last month after failing a sobriety test. His lawyer in that case said Zhukovskyy denies being intoxicated.
Zhukovskyy also has a history of traffic arrests.
The people killed in the crash have been identified as Michael Ferazzi, 62, of Contoocook, N.H.; Albert Mazza Jr., 59, of Lee, N.H.; Desma Oakes, 42, of Concord, and who grew up in Norwich; Aaron Perry, 45, of Farmington, N.H.; Daniel Pereira, 58, of Riverside, Rhode Island; and Jo-Ann and Edward Corr, both 58, of Lakeville, Mass.
The first three funerals are scheduled to be held on Friday with services for Ferazzi in Massachusetts, Pereira in Rhode Island and Oakes in New Hampshire.