Trouble While You Sleep: Tucumcari Drive-By Reminds Truckers of a Harsh Truth

by TRUCKERS VA
(UNITED STATES)

Introduction: Even the Sleeper Ain’t Always Safe

It’s the kind of story that makes every trucker do a double take before catching shuteye at a rest stop.

A North Dakota truck driver was asleep in his cab when bullets tore through his rig, one grazing the back of his neck. No bad road decisions, no shady load, no beef — just a man doing his job, resting off the highway near Tucumcari, New Mexico.

And it almost cost him his life.

Let’s break down what happened, why it matters, and how truckers can protect themselves when the world outside their windshield turns dangerous.

The Incident: A Sleeping Trucker and a Late-Night Drive-By

On the night of August 20, Clay Applegarth was parked and sleeping peacefully in his truck. Out of nowhere, he heard a bang. When he woke up, blood was dripping down his neck.

He had just been grazed by a 9mm bullet — fired through his sleeper.

Thankfully, the truck was equipped with a dashcam, which caught everything:

A silver Nissan with a black spoiler pulled up

Multiple shots fired

The vehicle sped off toward I-40

Police later found the vehicle abandoned near a cemetery, busted tombstones nearby, and shell casings scattered around. After a deep investigation and DNA analysis, they arrested 20-year-old Dadrian Ray Ysco, who now faces a laundry list of charges, including:

Aggravated battery with a deadly weapon

Shooting at or from a vehicle

Criminal damage to property

Possession of multiple firearms

Including an AK-47 and AR-15.

Let that sink in: a young guy allegedly riding around, high or angry or bored, popping shots at a parked truck. It sounds like something out of a movie — but it’s real life for those of us hauling freight across America.

Why This Story Matters (A Lot)

Truckers don’t just need to worry about freight theft or DOT inspections anymore — they’ve got to worry about random violence.

Safety while parked – You could be doing everything right and still end up in the crosshairs. The trucker was in his sleeper, not causing trouble, not in a bad part of town.

Dashcam = Digital Witness – The ONLY reason this guy might get justice is because the dashcam caught the entire shooting. If you’re not running cameras on your rig, what are you waiting for?

Weaponization of boredom or madness – Whether it was mental health, substance use, or just reckless stupidity, this kid had 10+ firearms and thought it was a good idea to shoot into a random rig.

Insurance doesn’t stop bullets – Damage to your cab, loss of time, trauma — all that hits different when someone is firing rounds into your truck.

Unpopular Truths: Parking Isn’t Just About HOS

Truckers often pick parking spots based on hours-of-service timing, free space, or familiarity. But let’s be real:

Are you parked where you’re visible or tucked away in the dark?

Is the area known for crime or recent sketchy incidents?

Does the spot have security, cameras, or even a little traffic to deter nonsense?

This is a call for a new mindset: pick your parking like your life depends on it… because sometimes, it does.

Industry Response: It’s Crickets (So Far)

There’s been no official response from major trucking associations. No press conferences. No “driver safety awareness week” connected to this.

That’s disappointing — because this could’ve been any driver.

As truckers, we already deal with:

Pay that hasn’t kept up with inflation

Burnout from back-to-back loads

Rules and tech piling on

Now we gotta add “random gunfire” to the mix?

If the industry won’t raise the alarm, then drivers have to raise it for each other.

Bottom Line: Trucking Ain’t for the Timid, but It Shouldn’t Be This Dangerous

You might love the road. You might thrive on the freedom. But what this story shows is that even parked, you need a plan.

Cameras = Required

Parking = Strategic

Awareness = Critical

And if this life is wearing you down… if you’ve ever thought “this ain’t sustainable”...
There is a smarter way to stay in the game without risking your neck every night.

👉 Learn how to earn while you're parked — visit OffDutyMoney.com

👉 Thinking about getting into trucking? Learn what you’re really signing up for at LifeAsATrucker.com

Stay safe. Stay sharp. And never forget: parked doesn’t mean protected.