A Colorado trucker avoided jail but landed a $1,000 fine for skipping a toll on a Pennsylvania turnpike last year.
A lawyer for Kevin J. Roche, 56, of Kremmling, said it was all an accident: Roche could not merge out of the E-ZPass lane, for those who prepay their fares, in time. He intended to turn around and pay the the $36.05 toll, but was pulled over before he could.
Westmoreland County Judge Al Bell today told Roche he didn’t buy his story, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported this afternoon. Roche, however, received a relatively light sentence. He faced a fine of up to $10,000 and five years in jail, according to the newspaper.
Prosecutors argued in the trial, which started Monday, that Roche put black plastic over his back license plate and covered his front plate, which was on his dashboard, with a note pad, then skipped the fare intentionally.
People who skip fares often receive a ticket in the mail, but the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission said Roche was snared as part of its crack down on scofflaw truckers, who cheated the turnpike out of more than $1 million last year, the Tribune-Review reported.
Roche was caught on May 19, 2010. He was reportedly transporting military vehicles.
Public records show Roche has numerous traffic tickets in Colorado. He received a summons on a misdemeanor charge of knowing or reckless child abuse in Lakewood on July 12 and has a court appearance scheduled for Thursday, court records show.
Roche also has past federal tax liens in Gilpin and Grand counties, as well as civil suits by creditors in Denver, Jefferson and Gilpin counties.
In business records, he is listed as the principal and agent of All-About Auto Transport in Aurora.
