Wrong-way semi driver based out of Minnesota was ‘unable to speak proficient English,’ now faces charges
A Missouri prosecutor identified the driver in the viral video as Abdiasis Ibrahim Ali and said ICE has "been notified."
A truck driver holding a Minnesota commercial driver’s license drove the wrong way for miles on a Missouri highway, unable to read basic road signs and nearly causing a head-on collision, according to federal officials who have launched an investigation into the incident and the driver’s employer.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlighted the case Wednesday on X, sharing a video that shows a white semi-truck speeding southbound in the northbound lanes of Highway 61 near Troy, Mo.
The footage, captured by a motorist and viewed more than a million times, depicts oncoming vehicles switching lanes to avoid the 80-ton rig before law enforcement intervened.
“Thanks to Missouri law enforcement, this dangerous trucker is now out of service,” Duffy wrote in the post. “[Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration] is also investigating the carrier, Cargo Transportation LLC.”
Lincoln County Prosecuting Attorney Mike Wood later identified the driver as Abdiasis Ibrahim Ali of Minnesota, saying he has been charged with driving the wrong direction on a divided highway and operating a motor vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner.
According to a Facebook post from Wood, Ali was driving “at an alarming rate of speed” and “almost struck” a driver who then contacted law enforcement.
During a traffic stop by Missouri State Highway Patrol, troopers were able to determine that Ali “was unable to speak proficient English by failing a Highway Traffic Sign Assessment.”
“Ibrahim Ali was placed out of service and his co-driver, Abdulahi Abshir Alim, who was in the ‘sleeper’ at the time, took over. CDL licenses and the company they were driving for are based out of Minnesota,” Wood said in his Thursday post.
“Reports were provided to the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office this morning and a no-bond warrant for the arrest of Ibrahim Ali has been requested,” he added. “This investigation is ongoing and the US Department of Transportation and I.C.E. have been notified.”
Cargo Transportation LLC lists its primary officer as Abdiwali Ahmed and operates out of a one-bedroom apartment in Hopkins, according to the company address listed on government websites.
Rep. Koznick: ‘We have serious questions’
In a statement to Alpha News last week, Minnesota Rep. Jon Koznick, chair of the House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee, said the incident raises serious concerns about how Minnesota commercial driver’s licenses are being issued.
“Whether it is an eighty-thousand-pound semi-truck or a minivan, any vehicle driving the wrong way on a highway is a horribly scary situation, and the result is often deadly. Incredibly, this incident in Missouri ended safely.
“We must ensure that existing laws and licensing for all vehicles and operators continue to be followed, to make certain our highways are as safe as possible. However, we have serious questions about how a Minnesota Commercial Driver’s License is issued to someone who failed the English language proficiency field test conducted by the state trooper who, I’m told, cited the driver. Could the truck driver not properly read the road signs?
“Written and skills tests in Minnesota are required to be in English. We expect a response from the MN Department of Public Safety on how this can happen. I am thankful for Missouri law enforcement’s response to the incident.”
Department of Public Safety response
Alpha News reached out to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) — which handles CDL issuance through its Driver and Vehicle Services division — about the incident. A DPS spokesperson responded on Thursday:
“The Minnesota Department of Public Safety takes our role in helping keep our roads safe very seriously. Our Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) division oversees the issuance of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and commercial learner’s permits (CLPs) in Minnesota. All CDL applicants take the same tests in English and must go through the same knowledge and behind-the-wheel testing — also in English — to demonstrate the ability to safely operate a commercial vehicle. DVS follows the requirements set by federal rules (CFR 383) for issuing any CDLs and CLPs.”
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