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Federal database allows you to report aggressive truck drivers using the DOT number on the vehicle

Posted at 6:05 PM, Aug 18, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-18 22:54:39-04

DENVER -- Road rage is an experience we've all been through, but what do you do when the other driver is driving a commercial trucking vehicle?

Andrew Bateman was on an Uber drive on Pena Boulevard to Denver International Airport on Wednesday, when he said a local moving truck started tailgating him.

"There was heavy traffic in both lanes. I couldn't go any faster, I couldn't get over, but the guy kept coming up on me," said Bateman. "The guy went off onto the shoulder on the right side, went around five or six other cars, almost hit a lighted sign and then came back over onto the street next to me so that he could scream at me out the window and flip me off and a bunch of other stuff."

Bateman snapped a photo of the driver's side door which had the company name, phone number, Department of Transportation number and specific truck number.

Denver7 did ask why he took that photo while driving and Bateman said he wanted the trucking company information and felt the photo was safer than trying to write the information down.

We're not identifying the company because no one has been ticketed or charged with a crime.

To file a complaint with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, use this link.

Bateman said he called the company later in the day.

"He said, 'Did you get a truck number?' and I said, 'Yeah, the truck number was 5280,' and he said, 'Well that was me, you can go F yourself, you piece of sh, you know,'" said Bateman. "About an hour after the initial incident, I started getting text messages."

He showed Denver7 the text messages, which he also posted on Facebook. The texts were from the same phone number on the side of the vehicle.

The content is definitely not safe for work.

"Would you ever show your mother the text messages?" asked Denver7 reporter Marshall Zelinger.

"Oh gosh, no," said Bateman. "I sent her a message beforehand, told her she's not allowed to look at my Facebook page because it'd be upsetting."

Here's what the text message said in a series of texts, with the spelling and punctuation as it appeared:

"You must feel really good about your self you f------ snitch you just had to f--- with me on the road right it would of killed you to let me thru right."

"You’re a lil b---- you f------ p----."

"Super glue some p---- lips on your face you p----."

"That's what I thought you p---- man enough to call and snitch but not man enough to reply right you are a lol b----."

"That's just great thank you for doin that I really appreciate what your doin for my company you can post all of that on the internet along with your mothers P---- it must be great being in your shoes you must love being a snitch along with sucking d--- you can post that as well thank you very much you f------ b---- post that hahaha you put a lot of effort into this but I guess when you a b---- that's what you do is snitch like a lil b---- hahahaha post all of this but remember your mother sucks d--- with your wife it's sad to say but you’re a b---- that's why everyone walks all over you it's time to man up take those p---- lips off of your face be a man let me no where you post all of this so can read up on it."

Bateman replied: "Stop texting me."

"You’re a waste of life garbage I bet you got picked on a lot in school and now you hate the world that's what turned you into a b---- grow up let ppl thru on the road have some self respect take those p---- lips off of your face come mam do you really wanna suck d--- for the rest of your life."

Bateman said about 10 minutes later, he got a phone call from a 303-area code phone number.

"It sounded like a person using a voice distorter thing, like from a horror movie. They said, 'This is the Denver Police, who is this?'" said Bateman. "They said, 'We know where you are, you need to stop bothering (truck's business name).'"

Denver7 called that phone number on Thursday, but it went straight to a voicemail.

"Once it came to the point where it seemed like I was being threatened, that was when I decided to call police," said Bateman.

He said DPD had him go to the DIA office and fill out a report. He said an officer told him they would notate what happened, but no ticket would be issued.

"The guy has left me alone at this point. Once I told them I was reaching out to the police, he stopped contacting me," said Bateman.

When Denver7 contacted the phone number from the side of the truck, the person who answered the phone said he was not the driver in question and that we would have to keep trying the number until that driver answered. A business address provided by the person on the phone led nowhere. The address listed with the Department of Transportation linked to a residence in Aurora.

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