Driver in Amtrak Crash Losing CDL
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John R. Stokes, 58, will lose his truck-driving privileges for two months starting in June because of two speeding violations unrelated to the crash, White said.
"This is based on what the secretary feels is a very questionable driving record on Mr. Stokes' part," said White spokesman David Druker.
White said the suspension will "disqualify John Stokes from driving a commercial motor vehicle" for the two-month period.
Stokes was driving a semitrailer truck loaded with steel that was struck by Amtrak's southbound City of New Orleans at a crossing outside Bourbonnais.
Authorities are still investigating the accident and no one has been charged with wrongdoing thus far.
Stokes, of Manteno in Kankakee County, was driving on a probationary permit as a result of violations at the time. Ten days later, White returned his license, saying the probationary period was up and he was required to do so by state law.
White's decision to take away Stokes' license again was based on two speeding violations that the trucker had within six months of each other last year, one near Kankakee and one in Indiana, Druker said.
The ticket from Kankakee, issued by a state trooper, had not been forwarded to White's office until recently, according to Druker.
Druker said that a two-month suspension is the toughest penalty the state can impose on Stokes under Illinois law.
"It's the best that we can do in Illinois — our hands are tied in that regard," Druker said.
The suspension will affect only Stokes' truck-driving license. He will still be allowed to drive his car.
Druker said it was not known why the Kankakee ticket was not forwarded to the secretary of state's office after it was issued.
He said that White learned of it through news media reports last week.
"Perhaps at the time it wasn't perceived as that serious," he said. But he said that all violations "of a serious nature" are supposed to be reported to the secretary of state's office.
News accounts reported the Kankakee ticket as early as March 19.
And on March 25, the day he returned the license, White acknowledged Stokes had gotten court supervision in the past and said that "troubled" him.
A spokeswoman said White was discussing other times Stokes had gotten court supervision — not the one White learned about later and is now using to disqualify Stokes.
Stokes' attorney Leonard Sacks was in court and not available for comment immediately, his office said.
Kankakee County State's Attorney Michael Kick said the suspension will not affect his investigation but he had no other comment.
Stokes was leaving a steel mill when the train slammed into his truck.
Investigators have theorized that he may have tried to zigzag his way through the crossing gates after they were already down.
But Stokes reportedly told crews at the scene that the gates came down after he started across the tracks.
