CHILLICOTHE, OH — Chillicothe police issued three separate citations Friday evening after semi-truck drivers were stopped for ignoring clearly posted “No Truck Route” signs along Douglas Avenue and East Main Street.
The first stop happened around 4:27 p.m. on Sept. 26, when officers observed a semi making a prohibited turn from Douglas Avenue onto East Main Street. The driver, identified as Brian Henley, admitted he had seen the sign but said he was unable to turn around due to traffic. He was cited for disobeying a traffic control device and released with a court date set for Oct. 6 at 9 a.m.
At 5:28 p.m., officers pulled over another semi heading north on Douglas Avenue. The driver, Ajmal Kargar, told police he had also noticed the no-truck sign but continued anyway because his GPS routed him toward the Pilot truck stop for fuel. He was cited under city ordinance 339.02 and released.
A third citation was issued at 6:14 p.m., when officers stopped Omer Irtak for the same violation. Irtak admitted to seeing the sign but said he followed GPS directions. He was also cited under city ordinance 339.02 and advised of a Oct. 6, 9 a.m. court date.
Police said the repeated violations highlight a growing issue of truck drivers relying solely on GPS and disregarding local traffic restrictions, creating safety and congestion concerns in residential areas.
