HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Things are going from bad to worse for a tractor trailer school under attack by Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.

A Superior Court judge on Monday imposed contempt fines of more than $100,000 on D&L Tractor Trailer Training School, which is alleged to have operated without a certificate of authorization from the state's Department of Higher Education.

The DHE conducted the undercover investigation that led to Blumenthal's suit.

"These steep sanctions should put emergency brakes on a rogue, runaway trucking school," Blumenthal said. "The court has recognized D&L's defiance and arrogance -- a complete disregard for repeated court orders to stop operating and to produce student records."

A court order in May was supposed to shut the school down, but owner C. Donald Lane has continued to enroll students and defied orders to turn over student records.

Students who have graduated can not become licensed truck drivers unless the school gets its certificate. They may also be ineligible to recover any tuition from the state's Private Occupational School Student Protection Account.

"The larger lesson here is that students should check on an occupational school's credentials before they invest valuable money and time -- and schools should note that certification laws will be enforced," Blumenthal said.

Lane also pleaded guilty in federal court to a pair of felonies on June 4 -- willfully attempting to evade income tax and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

He will be sentenced Aug. 27.

From Legal Newsline: Reach John O'Brien by e-mail at john@legalnewsline.com.