Trucking news and briefs for Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026:
Man sentenced to 10 years in prison for setting fire to Swift trailers
A man received a 10-year prison sentence from a federal court in Arizona for setting fire to three Swift Transportation trailers in the state.U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona
An individual accused of maliciously setting fires to three semi-trailers owned by Swift Transportation (CCJ Top 250, No. 3) has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Viorel Pricop, 67, of Allen Park, Michigan, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John C. Hinderaker in the District of Arizona. At the conclusion of an 8-day trial, a jury found Pricop guilty of three counts of Arson of a Vehicle or Property in Interstate Commerce on Aug. 21, 2025.
“This defendant left a nation-wide path of destruction that threatened lives, property, and critical infrastructure,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Thanks to the dedicated work of federal prosecutors and ATF agents, the DOJ brought him to justice. This case is proof that the federal government will bring its full weight to bear in order to stop dangerous and destructive criminals.”
Pricop set fire to three semi-truck trailers belonging to Phoenix-based Swift Transportation as part of a larger pattern of arsons targeting Swift, Courchaine’s office said in a press release. Two of the arsons occurred in Willcox, Arizona, and one occurred in Holbrook, Arizona.
"The 10-year sentence handed down to Pricop marks the culmination of a multi-year, multi-state investigation into a dangerous campaign of targeted arson,” said Shawn Stallo, ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Phoenix Field Division. "This successful outcome was made possible through the exhaustive use of ATF resources, including our K-9 units, the Fire Research Laboratory, and the technical expertise of our Certified Fire Investigators who methodically linked these fires across the country. By leveraging these specialized tools to hold this serial arsonist accountable, we have ensured that he can no longer threaten the lives of drivers or the safety of our nation's interstate commerce.”
Pricop set at least 16 additional Swift Transportation semi-trailers on fire in multiple states between October 2021 and September 2022. These arsons occurred at locations spanning from Barstow, California, to McCalla, Alabama, with most occurring along I-10 and I-40. Federal criminal charges associated with some of the fires were filed against Pricop in several districts and were the basis of a 2024 criminal trial in the Central District of California, where Pricop was found guilty of six arsons. He was sentenced to 10 years, 1 month of prison and ordered to pay $648,384 in restitution in that case.
Pricop was convicted in 2018 in the Eastern District of Michigan for a tax offense and transportation of stolen goods, charges stemming from an investigation conducted by Swift. Pricop was sentenced to time served in that case, amounting to approximately 26 months’ imprisonment. His term of supervised release ended in June 2019, approximately two years before the arsons in this case began.
[Related: Michigan man guilty of maliciously setting fires to Swift trailers]
Florida will only administer license exams in English
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) has announced that, beginning Friday, Feb. 6, all driver license knowledge and skills examinations -- both regular licenses and CDLs -- will be administered exclusively in English. The change applies to all driver license classifications, including exams administered orally.
Previously, knowledge exams for most non-commercial driver license classifications were offered in multiple languages, while commercial learner’s permit (CLP) and CDL knowledge exams were only available in English and Spanish.
Under the updated policy, all driver license knowledge and skills testing will be conducted only in English.
To implement this change, FLHSMV has updated its driver license testing system statewide. Language translation services will no longer be permitted for knowledge or skills examinations, and any printed exams in languages other than English will be removed for use.
