Video: FedEx driver caught sleeping at the wheel

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – Jonathan Simkins noticed something wasn’t right with the FedEx driver ahead of him on the road.

The FedEx Truck was drifting side to side – out of its lane. The driver then slowed to under five miles an hour on Ehrlich Road just before noon.

“There’s cars stopping. There’s cars veering off the road. They know something is wrong,” Simkins said.

He pulled up next to the FedEx truck and saw the driver’s head dip down.

Simkins recorded the events on his cell phone.

“I’m afraid he’s going to keep veering over into the westbound lane,” Simkins said.

He yelled at the driver and whistled to get his attention. The driver of the FedEx truck then sped up and careened out of control into the median and nearly into oncoming traffic.

“I thought he was going to run head on into a car in the westbound lane,” Simkins said.

The FedEx driver kept going, but Simkins pulled along side him and yelled at the driver to pull over.

Eventually the driver pulled into a parking lot and Simkins talked him into giving up his keys for the safety of all.

Hillsborough County deputies arrived. They believe the FedEx driver was impaired, but because he removed the keys from his ignition and deputies didn’t personally witness him driving, they could not make an arrest.

“Fortunately, we had some good citizens that were in the area and number one didn’t get hurt and number two were able to take steps to get this guy stopped before he did hurt somebody,” said Larry McKinnon with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

FedEx provided the following statement to News Channel 8:

“Safety is our highest priority at FedEx Ground. We are cooperating with the investigating authorities in determining what caused this incident, and will take the appropriate action once the investigation has concluded.”