Driver in Deadly I-35 Pile-Up Should Have Had Non-Domiciled CDL, NTSB Report Finds

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A National Transportation Safety Board report on a deadly pile-up crash on Interstate 35 outside of Austin, Texas last year shows that the truck driver involved, Solomun Weldekeal-Araya, should have been issued a non-domiciled commercial driver's license (CDL) instead of a standard one. Weldekeal-Araya, who was initially suspected of intoxication but later cleared, is still facing felony charges for the accident that killed five people and injured 11 others.

Why it matters

This case highlights issues with CDL issuance policies and the potential safety risks posed by drivers who are not properly licensed. The NTSB report indicates that Texas' previous practices of issuing standard CDLs to applicants with expired employment authorization cards were flawed and may have contributed to the deadly crash.

The details

The NTSB report found that Weldekeal-Araya possessed an employment authorization card that expired in October 2022, but was issued a standard CDL by the Texas Department of Public Safety in 2021 that was set to expire in 2023. He should have been issued a non-domiciled CDL that would have expired when his employment authorization did. Texas has since suspended issuing non-domiciled CDLs until it can develop a compliance plan to address the new rules around these licenses.

• The crash occurred on Interstate 35 outside of Austin, Texas one year ago.
• Weldekeal-Araya was issued a standard CDL by the Texas DPS in 2021.
• Weldekeal-Araya's employment authorization card expired in October 2022.

What’s next

Since the crash, Texas has suspended the issuance of non-domiciled CDLs until the state can develop a proposed compliance plan to address the new rules regarding these licenses.