A New Jersey truck driver has been sentenced to nearly two years in prison for illegally dumping thousands of gallons of gasoline behind a Delaware County gas station, causing extensive environmental damage and temporarily closing a nearby school.
George Smith, 37, of Vineland, New Jersey, was sentenced Tuesday to 11 to 23 months in county prison, followed by five years of probation, according to 6ABC Philadelphia. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to felony charges of causing a catastrophe and pollution of waters under Pennsylvania environmental law, Patch.com reported.
Investigators said the incident occurred on June 11, 2021, when Smith delivered fuel to the Gas N Go station at Coebourn Boulevard and Edgmont Avenue in Brookhaven. When he found the underground tanks were nearly full, Smith allegedly diverted roughly 4,000 gallons of gasoline onto the ground rather than returning the excess load, according to PhillyVoice.
The fuel spilled down an embankment toward a drainage pond and nearby stream behind Coebourn Elementary School. The contamination killed wildlife, including fish and turtles, and forced the school to close while officials conducted environmental testing, WHYY News reported. Cleanup crews later removed more than 100 truckloads of contaminated soil.
Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer called the act “reckless and deliberate,” describing it as one of the most serious environmental crimes in the county’s history.
“This was not a mistake. This was a conscious decision that endangered people, wildlife, and our environment,” Stollsteimer said in a statement.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection led a months-long remediation effort. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the cleanup cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and required extensive soil replacement and water monitoring.
Smith’s attorney said he has expressed remorse for his actions and accepted responsibility for the damage.
Watch the full 6ABC report here.