TANK TRUCK DRIVER CHARGED WITH OIL SPILL VIOLATIONS

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that Robert Louis Simms, Jr., 39, of Brantwood Court in White Marsh, Maryland has been charged in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County with failure to report an oil spill and failure to remain at the scene of an oil spill.

The charges allege that Simms failed to report that diesel fuel had discharged from a tanker truck that Simms was operating in the first block of Defense Street in Annapolis on February 10, 2005. Additionally, Simms is alleged to have left the scene of the discharge.

If convicted of either of the charges, Simms could be sentenced to up to one year in jail and/or fined up to $50,000. The filing of a charging document is merely an accusation of criminal wrongdoing, and every individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The case will be heard in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County. Arraignment has been set for April 25th.

The charges follow a joint investigation conducted by the Environmental Crimes Unit of the Office of the Attorney General and the Maryland State Police with the assistance of the Maryland Department of the Environment.

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