A Missouri truck driver is facing criminal charges after an alleged hit-and-run involving a commercial vehicle and failing to demonstrate the English proficiency required of interstate truck drivers.
What might have been an obscure traffic citation a year ago has become part of a national debate.
Wyoming lawmakers, the Wyoming Highway Patrol and U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyoming, have all spent the past year pushing for stricter enforcement of English-language requirements for commercial truck drivers operating on Wyoming highways.
Anvarjon Ganiyevich Muminov, whose listed address is in Columbia, Missouri, was charged Monday afternoon in Sweetwater County Circuit Court with leaving the scene of an accident involving damage to an attended vehicle, commercial vehicle operator non-English proficiency, careless driving and failure to maintain a single lane.
A settlement conference is scheduled for July 14. A jury trial is set for Oct. 15.
'Luckily No One Was Struck'
The case began around 5:12 p.m. June 5 when Sweetwater County Sheriff's Deputy Otte was dispatched to Interstate 80 near mile marker 128 eastbound for a reported hit-and-run, says an affidavit filed by Sweetwater County Deputy and Prosecuting Attorney Alex Breckenridge.
When Otte arrived, he reportedly found a tan Toyota Avalon with Wyoming plates sitting on the shoulder with extensive damage.
Investigators learned three people had stopped because of a coolant leak.
The driver of the car told deputies he had pulled onto the shoulder and opened the driver's door so he could retrieve coolant from the trunk. A front-seat passenger said she was standing in front of the Toyota and a rear-seat passenger said he was outside near the guardrail.
Then, according to the affidavit, a passing semi-truck struck the driver's side of the Toyota.
The impact shattered glass, left scrape marks and paint transfer, and heavily damaged the sedan's driver-side door and rear quarter panel.
One passenger told investigators she was standing directly in front of the vehicle when it was hit.
"Luckily no one was struck," Otte wrote.
Truck Driver Says He Didn't See Anything
A witness told deputies he watched the crash happen from about 3 to 4 car lengths behind the semi. Court records show he advised the semi "was on the white line and veering towards the vehicle."
The witness said he could see a male by the rear driver side door, and when he noticed that he watched the semi "jerk his truck, a kid run back to the rear area of the car, and then the collision happened."
About 80 miles away, Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Luke Lenke located a semi-truck matching the description near mile marker 209. Lenke photographed damage to the truck's grille and passenger side and sent the images to investigators.
Deputies identified the driver as Muminov and requested that he return to Sweetwater County for questioning.
Muminov allegedly told investigators he had been traveling about 75 mph and did not see anything.
When shown a photograph of the damaged Toyota, Muminov "just nodded his head," the affidavit notes.
Failed English-Language Proficiency Test
Muminov told authorities his native language is Russian, "but he would try to communicate in the little English he knew," wrote Breckenridge.
Without going into detail, the affidavit says Muminov was unable to demonstrate English proficiency during the test following the crash.
Federal regulations require interstate commercial drivers to be able to read and speak English well enough to converse with the public, understand highway signs and signals, respond to official inquiries and complete reports.
Muminov has not entered a plea, and the case is scheduled to move forward this summer in Sweetwater County Circuit Court.
Political Flashpoint
Federal regulations have long required interstate commercial drivers to be able to read and speak English well enough to understand road signs, respond to law enforcement and complete required records.
The issue gained renewed attention in Wyoming last year when Hageman urged federal transportation officials to strengthen enforcement of the rule, arguing that non-English-proficient commercial drivers posed a safety concern on roads such as Interstate 80.
It continued to gain momentum after President Donald Trump signed an April 2025 executive order directing federal officials to reinstate stricter enforcement standards for commercial drivers who cannot demonstrate English proficiency.
Wyoming lawmakers soon followed.
Earlier this year, Gov. Mark Gordon signed House Bill 32, expanding authority to enforce English-proficiency standards beyond specially certified state troopers and allowing law enforcement agencies across Wyoming to take action against commercial drivers who fail the test.
The law established a $1,000 penalty for a first offense and additional penalties for repeat violations.
Court records show Muminov was granted a $1,000 appearance bond, meaning he is allowed to remain free pending future court dates.
