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Illegal dumping leads to 18-month sentence for truck driver

On Behalf of | Dec 17, 2019 | Federal Crimes |

Federal crimes aren’t always violent, but they often have serious outcomes that impact people or the environment. Take, for example, this case of a truck driver who was sentenced to 18 months in prison for dumping 3,000 gallons of fuel in Georgia illegally.

By doing this, the driver caused a school to shut down and a federal clean up of a creek in Thomasville, Georgia. The 40-year-old man was sentenced, according to a Dec. 16 report, to 18 months in prison. He pleaded guilty to unauthorized discharge of oil. He isn’t eligible for parole.

Why did he do it?

The man reported that he decided to dump the 3,000 gallons of fuel after he discovered that he had loaded the wrong product for deliver. At the time, he was working for Eco Energy and had no permit to dump.

By dumping where he did, the diesel fuel moved into an adjacent storm water drainage system. That went into a creek, which later moves on into the Ochlockonee River. The Ochlocknee River is protected by the Clean Water Act as a traditionally navigable area of water.

The Environmental Protection Agency also had to participate in the clean up of the dumped oil because it resulted in the evacuation of an elementary school when diesel fuel began to gather in the school’s ditches.

Sometimes, people don’t understand the damage that they can cause by dumping or performing other illegal acts. If you’re accused of a crime, make sure you take a strong stance and defend yourself with the help of your attorney.