Disciplinary actions: Driving schools

September 2008

Yakima — John M. Larson

  • Finding: Unprofessional conduct.
  • Action: Instructor license suspended for 2 years, with 1 year stayed.

May 2008

Port Orchard — Russell D. Graham dba Guardian Driving School of Port Orchard

  • Finding: Engaged in unlicensed activity and failed to submit required records to DOL.
  • Action: Instructor and school licenses suspended for 3 years.

April 2008

Walla Walla — Marcus Maiuri dba Crusier’s Driving School

  • Finding:
    • Engaged in licensed activity.
    • Failed to submit to a periodic inspection or review of school records.
    • Failed to submit required records to DOl.
  • Action: Instructor and school licenses suspended for 5 years and fined $500.

February 2008

Walla Walla — Green Light Driving School LLC

  • Finding: Cybersquatting (used internet addresses in a misleading way).
  • Action: Cease and desist.

January 2008

Camas and Salmon Creek —Steve and Heather Kulin, A Driving School of Camas and Salmon Creek

  • Finding: Engaged in unlicensed activity.
  • Action: Driver training school license suspended for 6 months, with suspension stayed for 6 months, and fined $400.

October 2007

Seattle — 911 Driving School of Northgate

  • Finding: Failed to integrate behind-the-wheel instruction in a timely manner with classroom instruction.
  • Action: License suspended for 6 months, with suspension stayed for 6 months, and fined $400.

July 2007

Tacoma — Bruce Richey, America’s Best Driving Schools

  • Finding: Made false statements on Driver Training School Application.
  • Action:
    • All current driver training school licenses are revoked.
    • Prohibited from having any ownership interest in any driver training school or obtaining a license for a driver training school for 1 month.
    • Any future applications for a new driver training schools are limited to a school which is owned by him solely.

June 2007

Tacoma and Puyallup — Eileen Ramirez, ABC Driving School of Fircrest, Puyallup, and Bellarmine High School

  • Finding:
    • Failed to properly license her branch school locations at Puyallup and Bellarmine HS.
    • Continued to conduct classes without a license.
    • Failed to maintain a business space at the Fircrest location.
  • Action: Ramirez’s instructor and school licenses revoked for 5 years.

May 2007

Moses Lake — Jonathon Jones

  • Finding: Found to have felony and gross misdemeanor convictions.
  • Action: Driver training school instructor license revoked for 10 years.

Redmond — Jeff Eklund

  • Finding: Received more than one motor vehicle moving violation within a 12-month period.
  • Action: Driver training school instructor license revoked for 2 years.

April 2007

Kirkland — Michael Moretro

  • Finding: Made false statements on application to become a driving training school instructor.
  • Action: Driver training school instructor license revoked for 5 years.

December 2006

Vancouver — John Melcher and Robert Dalton, Big John’s Driving School

  • Finding: Failed to properly renew their driving school license, and continued to conduct classes without a license.
  • Action: Dalton agreed to a $1,500 fine, and Melcher agreed to not have any interest in the school or schools permanently.

October 2006

Tacoma — Gary Probst and Malia Orbino; Diamond Driving School, America’s Best Driving School, and Quality Driving School.

  • Finding: Failed to disclose prior criminal convictions on application, and failed to produce driver training school records requested by Department of Licensing (DOL).
  • Action: Probst and Orbino signed an agreed order revoking their driver training school licenses and their rights to reapply for driver training school licenses for 10 years. Probst’s driver instructor license is revoked for 5 years.

September 2006

Kelso/Longview — Sylvia J. Fisher

  • Finding: Violated the minimum requirements for maintaining her Driver Training Instructor license.
  • Action: Driver training instructor license revoked for 3 years.

March 2006

Linda Kacho

  • Finding: Plead guilty to 1 count of Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance and was sentenced to 30 days of confinement, $610 in fines, and 12 months community supervision.
  • Action: Instructor license revoked with no right to reapply for 10 years from the date of conviction.

January 2006

Randle — Melodie L. Justice, Drive Rite Driving School

  • Finding: After being repeatedly informed about the location of the Department’s drive test courses in her location, Justice’s instructors were seen giving driving instruction and training to students on those driving courses.
  • Action: License suspended for 90 days, stayed for 1 year on the condition that there be no further violations of the driving schools and instructors laws and rules.

Questions?

For more information about these disciplinary actions, contact the Driver Training School Program at (360) 902-0110.