[StBernard] Waste Dumped in 9th Ward; SDT Claims Foul Play

[Westley Annis]

Waste Dumped in 9th Ward; SDT Claims Foul Play

POSTED: 9:46 pm CDT March 15, 2009
UPDATED: 11:56 am CDT March 16, 2009


NEW ORLEANS -- The owner of SDT Waste and Debris Services believes someone
is trying to frame his company by dumping sludge from one of his trucks into
a Lower 9th Ward drain.

The mess and a septic hose were discovered Sunday near the intersection of
Alabo and North Johnson Streets. An unidentified man tipped WDSU to the
story early in the day, later offering to sell a videotape that showed what
appears to be an SDT truck pumping waste into the gutter. WDSU did not
purchase the tape.

A news crew found residue at the location and confirmed that New Orleans
Public Works officials are aware of the problem.

Torres, meanwhile, has contacted the St. Bernard Sherriff's Office. He
believes the sludge may indeed have come from one of his units -- a truck
that was taken from the company's Chalmette facility without authorization.

"That is absolutely against our policy and we would never do that," Torres
said of the dumping.

Surveillance video provided by SDT shows someone returning the truck to the
company's headquarters late Saturday night, dropping it off in an unusual
location. The truck is left with the door open and the vehicle still in
neutral, rolling several feet after the driver exited.

"Standard procedure is, trucks are parked in the yard every night, and when
we looked at the video this morning the truck was parked in front of the
corporate office," Torres said. "The truck was left with the lights on and
the key in it."

Torres also shared data from the company's GPS tracking devices that
indicated the truck departed the SDT lot about 10:20 p.m.

St. Bernard officials confirm SDT reported that one of its vehicles was
taken without permission.

"It happened sometime after 10 p.m. (Saturday)," said Chief Deputy Jimmy
Pohmann, with the St. Bernard Parish Sherriff's Office. "The truck was
returned a short time later, within an hour."

Pohmann said the St. Bernard Sherriff's Office is concerned primarily with
the unauthorized use of the vehicle. In Orleans Parish, charges stemming
from the dumping could be more serious.

"There's implications that lead into New Orleans that I'm sure could violate
both state and federal laws," he said.

Torres told WDSU it is possible a disgruntled or former employee is trying
to put the company in a bad light. He says no employees were scheduled to
operate a vehicle at the time of the incident.

SDT is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and
conviction in the matter. The company is also conducting its own
investigation. 
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