Investigation into Driver’s License of Bus Crash Suspect
Federal transportation officials are looking into whether a Chinese national involved in a deadly highway accident in Tennessee earlier this week had been improperly granted a driver’s license in New York.
According to various sources, 54-year-old Huang Yi-sung was driving his tour bus on Tuesday morning when he was reportedly watching a video on his cell phone. He collided with a tractor-trailer, which triggered a chain reaction that led to the death of a 31-year-old truck driver and injured over a dozen others.
Now, transportation authorities are questioning if he should have had a license at all.
“It’s outrageous,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Transportation expressed. “This aligns with the concerns raised by President Trump and [Transportation] Secretary [Sean] Duffy, who has worked diligently to ensure that all truck drivers can comprehend road signs and communicate effectively in English.”
The spokesperson further added, “Our team is already looking into New York’s vague licensing practices that may permit dangerous foreign drivers to cause harm to innocent Americans.”
Reports indicate that the tractor-trailer struck by the tour bus then collided with another 18-wheeler and veered into oncoming traffic on Interstate 40, eventually crashing into a Volkswagen Jetta around 6 a.m. Notably, both Ison and the Jetta’s driver sustained minor injuries.
Authorities announced that Huang Yi-sung was arrested on Thursday by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, although his immigration status remains unclear.
In response, a spokesperson for the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles denied any wrongdoing in issuing Huang’s commercial driver’s license. “Let’s be clear: regulating commercial driver’s licenses falls under federal jurisdiction,” the spokesperson stated. “It’s quite hypocritical for leaders in Washington to criticize states for adhering to federal guidelines.”
They also mentioned, “This individual presented a valid federal work permit along with a Social Security card to the New York State DMV before obtaining the CDL.”
