Florida motor carrier owners barred from interstate commerce

January 19, 2022

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A Florida motor carrier and its two principals have been banned from interstate commerce as a result of a fatal 2021 collision.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has declared West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Professional Marine Hauler’s LLC (U.S. DOT No. 3574084) to be an imminent hazard to public safety, according to an agency news release.

The company and principals Claudia Angeligue Abreu and Ariel Martinez have been ordered to immediately cease all interstate and intrastate operations. There were served the order Jan. 14.

Professional Marine Hauler’s was involved in a commercial motor vehicle crash resulting in two deaths and nine injuries on Nov. 9, 2021.

FMCSA’s investigation found a pattern of noncompliance was noted in the operation of several motor carriers operated by the carrier principals, including violations documented during roadside inspections and failed new entrant safety audits. Failure to address these violations resulted in the fatal crash, which was caused by complete trailer brake system failure, according to the FMCSA.

Abreu’s and Martinez’s actions resulted in unsafe vehicles operated in interstate commerce after the vehicles were placed out-of-service. The two company principals disregarded vehicle maintenance, driver qualifications, controlled substances and alcohol testing, hours of service, and oversize/overweight limits for commercial motor vehicles, according to the agency.

The out-of-service order applies to any other business or name under which Abreu and Martinez conduct motor carrier operations, FMCSA said in the order. The agency listed four other companies: