Transportation agent quits after vulgar tape surfaces

RUCKERSVILLE — A state transportation agent quit his job Monday amid an investigation into a recording in which officials say he is heard unleashing a profanity-laced tirade against a Greene County truck driver.

The state Department of Motor Vehicles began investigating after the truck driver provided the agency with an audio recording in which he says Brent Uzdanovics, 36, a former Waynesboro policeman, uttered a string of obscenities and threatened to arrest him.

Uzdanovics worked as a senior special agent for the DMV out of the agency’s Waynesboro customer service center.

The DMV suspended Uzdanovics without pay pending the agency’s internal investigation into the incident.

“We were given an audio tape of agent Uzdanovics … and he didn’t act very professionally,” said DMV spokeswoman Melanie Stokes.

During a call in June 2008, Ruckersville resident Dwayne Sims captured Uzdanovics threatening to arrest him and “bust heads” in Greene County, according to a complaint filed by Sims.

“When you get charged and it goes to court, you’ll figure it out … I’m going to come down hard on your ass,” Uzdanovics says on the tape.

Sims: “You can tell me that you have felony warrants but won’t tell me what I’ve done.”

Uzdanovics: “That’s right. You know why?”

Sims: “Why?”

Uzdanovics: “Because when I have the warrants in hand and I come arrest your ass, then I’ll let you know what’s going on. I don’t need to tell you [expletive] … “

Uzdanovics could not be reached for comment.

No charges have been filed against Sims.

Sims’ attorney, Dean Lhospital, filed a second complaint against Uzdanovics on behalf of another Greene County man. The DMV also is investigating that claim, Lhospital said. The DMV declined to comment on that case.

After resigning in Waynesboro, Uzdanovics served about four months with the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office. He then worked for the DMV.

Waynesboro Police Chief Doug Davis said Uzdanovics was not a problem employee. Augusta County Sheriff Randy Fisher called Uzdanovics a “good officer” who since has helped his office on DMV-related cases.

DMV agents like Uzdanovics investigate complaints about title fraud, motor vehicle theft and other allegations against motor vehicle dealers.

Sims, 25, said he initiated last summer’s call to Uzdanovics after a friend said the agent had been talking about arresting Sims. He called Uzdanovics that night, June 11, to find out which charges he might be facing. Sims said he got an earful, but no details.

Midway through the call, Sims’s wife Christina, 24, began what would be a 17-minute recording.

“You’re smarter than the average bear, but you know what, you’re not smarter than me,” Uzdanovics says.

Sims at the time had been operating his own trucking company for about a month. He said he previously met Uzdanovics in February 2008 when he had trouble with a tow truck title.

“I had went to him for help,” said Sims, who eventually gave up a legal battle for the truck.

After the call, the Simses tried to press charges against Uzdanovics for verbal harassment, but said they were passed among the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, commonwealth’s attorney, magistrate and Virginia State Police. Christina Sims also wrote to Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and received a response promising an investigation into “unprofessional behavior.”

Finally, last month, with the help of Lhospital, the Simses obtained a warrant from a Greene County magistrate against Uzdanvoics for use of profane language over public airways. That same day, another official called and dismissed the warrant. Lhospital has not been able to learn the reason.

Magistrates, the Greene County Commonwealth’s Attorney and Virginia State Police working in Greene County could not be reached for comment.

The Simses finally got their complaint to the DMV. A supervisor met with Sims last week.

Other people in Greene County said they also have had run-ins with Uzdanovics.

Kenneth R. Collier Sr., 57, who keeps of hundreds of junk cars on his Ruckersville property, said Uzdanovics last month executed a search warrant on Collier’s property in search of evidence relating to four stolen vehicles.

Collier and friend Mitch Miller, who maintains Collier’s voluminous paperwork, said Uzdanovics “ransacked” Collier’s house over six hours and did not properly itemize seized items.

Lhospital has filed a complaint with the DMV over that incident.

Greene County Sheriff J. Scott Haas said he does not know the Simses and could not say if they were being investigated by his office.

Court records show a handful of traffic violations against the couple and a 2008 perjury charge against Christina Sims. That case is set for trial May 29. She declined to discuss that charge.