Marine Corps Base Quantico -- There have been 170 accidents involving government vehicles in the National Capital Region since the first of the year, and it is the job of the Roadmaster Section at Marine Corps Base Quantico to investigate them all. “We average about 250 investigations per year,” said Rusty Hatch, one of the three members of the roadmaster team.
Filling out the team are Hatch, Matthew Dennison and Sgt. Stephen Dillon, and in addition to investigating accidents, they are responsible for enforcing the rules of the road for drivers of government vehicles and conducting vehicle and motor pool inspections. With more than 70 motor pools and sub-motor pools in the NCR, they have their hands full.
In terms of enforcing vehicle regulations, “We can pull people over,” said Dennison, and the section has a sedan and two pickup trucks, all equipped with red and white lights that can be used during traffic stops. The section does not have jurisdiction over civilian or privately owned vehicles but can stop government vehicles of all types for various infractions.
According to Dillon, seatbelt, cell phone use and credential violations require a court date, and the members of the team regularly go to court to present evidence. In terms of credentials, drivers under the age of 26 are required to have a base driver’s license, state-issued driver’s license, military identification card and proof of having attended a driver improvement course. Drivers 26 and up require only the first three documents.
Regarding the types of accidents they investigate, “the most common accident involves backing,” either into an object or another vehicle, Dennison said. They have not had to conduct any investigations involving vehicle-related deaths, though there was a serious accident between a POV and a government vehicle in June that resulted in four people being transported to the hospital. According to Dennison, with accidents involving both a government vehicle and a POV, the Provost Marshal’s Office and Roadmaster Section will work together on the investigation and report.
Though most traffic stops and investigations are conducted under fairly routine circumstances, Dennison said that one particular stop stands out in his mind. After he stopped the driver of a government vehicle for a basic infraction, he opened the back of the vehicle to find a Lazy Boy-style recliner in the cargo area. After questioning the driver and assistant driver, he determined they would take turns driving and sleeping in the back.
Hatch recalled stopping a vehicle one time and finding three men dressed like members of the Taliban lying in the back. Fortunately, he was able to quickly discern that they were role players participating in an exercise and not actual terrorists attempting to cause harm to the base.
Though the roadmaster staff are not police officers, they are highly trained in terms of traffic law enforcement and investigatory procedures. Dennison said among other credentials, they are required to take the Emergency Vehicle Operators Course every three years and are radar certified. They also seize the opportunity to take extra training whenever possible and recently completed a Prince William County state trooper course on safety awareness during accident investigations.
— Writer: ebaker@quanticosentryonline.com