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LEETONIA -- A garbage truck that caused major property damage Monday after careening down the Oak Street hill without the driver has been sidelined as "totally unsafe" after an inspection revealed a non-functioning emergency brake and other brake issues, Police Chief Allen Haueter said.
The driver, 44-year-old Brad Self of Salem, has been cited with unsafe vehicle since he was the operator, but Haueter said the resulting damages will be covered by Aarrow Disposal's insurance on the vehicle, since the company owns the truck. Self allegedly claimed he had the emergency brake set when he stopped at the top of the hill to pick up a customer's refuse, but then the truck started coasting down the hill.
When it reached the bottom, the truck took out a fire hydrant, crossed the yard of Jim and Cheryl Pittman, destroyed their landscaping and crushed her Pontiac G6, shoving it into the enclosed porch entryway of the house next door where John Kiliany and Linda Sholder reside. The entryway was knocked off the front of the house. No injuries were reported.
Haueter had the Aarrow Disposal garbage truck impounded at Ed Geary's Towing and requested a motor carrier enforcement inspector with the Ohio State Highway Patrol take a look at the braking system.
According to Haueter, the inspector found that the right rear wheel had no brake unit on it, no caliper, no nothing, as if it had been removed. On both the front and rear wheels on the driver side, the rotors were cracked and lug nuts were missing on each wheel. He said "the emergency brake was not working, was not functioning."
As the driver of the vehicle deemed unsafe, Self has to accept the responsibility for driving an unsafe vehicle, the chief explained. The vehicle was insured by the company. Self reportedly chased after the vehicle, but was unable to stop what happened.
Haueter noted that the truck did not weigh enough to fall under the yearly inspection requirement like semis do through OSHP. He also said there's no requirement under the village ordinance regarding garbage trucks operating in the village to be inspected. He did say that since the truck from the accident has been found unsafe, it won't be able to go back on the road until all the issues are fixed.
As for the rest of the Aarrow Disposal fleet, Haueter said all the village can do is politely ask that the rest of the trucks be inspected to ensure they are safe for the road. He was told the village has no power to enforce the request. Haueter consulted with the Columbiana County prosecutor's office on what could be done and it was suggested a letter be sent to Aarrow Disposal to make the request for inspections on the rest of the trucks.