Driving school steers into trouble

ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) - A southeastern New Mexico driving school believed to be illegally training and teaching teenagers how to drive has been ordered to stop by a state traffic-safety agency.

The school’s owner, Brandon Linthicum, was captured by a KRQE News 13 hidden camera traveling the streets of Roswell with driving students at the wheel.

But the Roswell Driving School does not have proper certification to operate, according to the New Mexico Department of Transportation Traffic Safety Bureau.

“Their license expired July 1, so we sent them a letter to cease and desist,” DOT Division Director Lawrence Barreras said.

News 13 found Linthicum teaching students July 20 and July 27.

State law requires driving schools and driving-school instructors to possess a certificate from the Traffic Safety Bureau in order to operate.

“They know that their license is expired," Barreras said. "They signed an affidavit indicating they would not have their school operating during the time that they don’t have a license."

Linthicum told News 13 the driving school ran into problems because of new insurance requirements recently established by the state.

“We asked them for time," he said. "We asked for a request of variance and exemption until we could get it renewed.”

Linthicum also said he was under the impression his renewal application for recertification had been approved.

“We try to adhere to every policy and standard that they issue us,” Linthicum said.

State officials confirmed Linthicum and the Roswell Driving School have met the new insurance requirements but said the application for recertification is still under review.

That spells trouble for students who have attended the driving school since July 1.

“At this point MVD knows that this school does not have a license and will not be accepting any certificates from that school,” Barreras said.

Affected students will have to be retrained under a certified program. The Roswell Driving School’s surety bond insurance will pick up the tab, according to state officials.

News 13 has also learned the school is operating without a Roswell city business license.

Linthicum claimed he has a current business license. However the city’s business licensing division said he hasn’t had a valid business license since September 2006.