California trucking firm owner sentenced for deadly blast

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Southern California trucking company owner who ordered the illegal repair of a tanker that led to a deadly explosion has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Carl Johansson of Newport Beach was sentenced Tuesday. The explosion occurred in 2014 when two employees were ordered to begin a welding project on a cargo tank that hadn't been completely purged of fumes and crude oil. One worker was killed and the other was seriously injured. He pleaded guilty last year to federal crimes involving the tanker blast, as well as tax evasion and illegally receiving more than $954,000 COVID-19 relief funds through fraud.