Truck driver faces fines for recent spill

Driver Joshua Montgomery, 24, of Fresno, told authorities he noticed a small leak near Truckee, Calif.

But the driver continued eastbound on I-80 until the leak worsened and motorists motioned for him to pull over near Wadsworth, 30 miles east of Reno, said Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Tony Almaraz.

The spill shut down the interstate's eastbound lanes for about four hours late Thursday and early Friday, but caused no major environmental damage or injuries.

The truck was hauling the acid-based fertilizer from a producer in Hanford, Calif., to Yerington, 85 miles southeast of Reno.

Almaraz said Montgomery faces the fines for investigation of spilling a hazardous material on the highway, failure to hold a Nevada hazardous materials permit and knowingly operating an out-of-service vehicle.

The company that owns the truck, Baggie Farms Express of Fresno, will be responsible for cleanup costs, Almaraz added.

archive