Man Jailed in Hijacking of Big Rig Truck : Investigation: Authorities say suspect had problems driving the vehicle and was pursued by other truckers.

A San Clemente man is in jail in lieu of $100,000 bail after discovering a big rig is tougher to drive than it looks, authorities said.

Dennis Du Bois, 25, is charged with hijacking a tractor-trailer truck Wednesday from the Whittaker brake-check facility on the Golden State Freeway north of Castaic.

The suspect drove to the site in a car at about 2 p.m. and became angry when none of the truck drivers he attempted to flag down would stop to pick him up, said California Highway Patrol Officer Wendy Moore of the Newhall office. The CHP doesn’t know why Du Bois abandoned the car or wanted a ride.

Du Bois walked in front of a big rig driven by Domingo Palomo, 32, of Delano and fired one shot from a .44-magnum handgun into the pavement, Moore said.

CHP reports indicate Palomo was in the truck cab when the gun was fired, but a witness said Palomo was standing in front of the vehicle.

“The guy fired a round at the driver between his legs and the driver jumped back and let him have it (the truck),” said Richard Hyer, a driver from Akron, Ohio. “And I don’t blame him.”

Du Bois allegedly climbed into the big rig and drove it south on the Golden State Freeway, with Hyer and other truckers in pursuit.

But apparently Du Bois had some trouble with the truck’s complicated gears and was oblivious to the trail of following truckers, all keeping tabs on his whereabouts and communicating with their CB radios, authorities said.

“He was just trying to find the gears,” said Hyer. “He was so busy trying to shift, he wasn’t looking at anything else.”

The truck exited on Templin Highway and proceeded west to the Old Golden State Highway, Moore said. Pursuing truckers spotted a California Department of Transportation dump truck parked nearby and radioed the California Department of Transportation worker to call the highway patrol.

Once at the intersection, Du Bois unsuccessfully tried to turn the tractor-trailer around. Becoming discouraged, he got out and attempted to disengage the trailer from the cab, Hyer said.

Du Bois gave up and fled the truck on foot before being apprehended by CHP officers.

Hyer said that before commandeering the truck, Du Bois slashed the tires of the car he drove up in and began throwing clothes from the vehicle onto the ground.

Du Bois is in custody at the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff’s station.