Missouri governor calls for review of Illinois commercial driver’s licensing procedures after deadly crash
FOX23 News at 9 p.m.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KBSI) – Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe is calling on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to review the state’s commercial driver’s licensing procedures following a deadly crash in Kansas City that killed a mother and her two young sons.
Kehoe sent a letter to Pritzker on Friday, Nov. 13, urging Illinois officials to strengthen their screening and verification processes for commercial driver’s license applicants.
The letter follows a Nov. 9 crash on U.S. Highway 71 in Kansas City involving a semitrailer that reportedly traveled at full speed into stopped traffic.
The crash killed a 35-year-old mother and her two young sons.
According to Kehoe’s letter, federal authorities identified the truck driver as Eldar Skander, who is accused of operating an 80,000-pound semitrailer under a non-domiciled commercial driver’s license issued by Illinois.
Kehoe said Skander is an undocumented immigrant facing three counts of involuntary manslaughter.
In his letter, Kehoe expressed concerns about commercial licensing procedures in Illinois, saying failures in the screening process could affect motorists in neighboring states.
Kehoe pointed to steps Missouri has taken to strengthen its own licensing procedures, including directing the Missouri Department of Revenue to implement stricter verification requirements for non-domiciled commercial driver’s license applicants.
He also said Missouri has updated its commercial licensing procedures to require additional screening, including testing for English-language proficiency.
Kehoe urged Pritzker to take similar action in Illinois, calling for an immediate review of the state’s commercial driver’s licensing procedures.
The governor said commercial drivers should be required to demonstrate appropriate legal status, competency and compliance with safety regulations before being licensed.
