A New York man faces charges after police alleged he dumped the contents of a septic tank into a drain in Passaic County, authorities said.
Anthony P. Serpe, 54, allegedly dumped “a significant amount of raw sewage” Tuesday from a septic tank that he was driving into a basin that empties into West Milford Lake, police said in a statement.
The incident, which took place on the corner of William Street and Center Street in West Milford, was observed by a local resident who called the police, authorities said.
An officer arrived after the truck left, but police still found sewage in the sump, according to police.
“During the crime, (the officer) was approached by a resident who provided her with a photo of the truck and driver involved,” police said in the statement.
Morris County police on patrol later pulled Serpe past in his truck on Route 23 in Riverdale. Serpe has been charged with third-degree water pollution and unlicensed fourth-degree pollution / transportation of solid waste, according to police.
Serpe, of Greenwood Lake, New York, was released on subpoena to appear before the Passaic County Supreme Court.
The police did not name the company that owned the truck. However, police told NorthJersey.com that Serpe used his staff vehicle to clean septic tanks and drain sewage without authorization in order to hide evidence.
Thank you for relying on us to bring you the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.
Anthony G. Attrino can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Comments are closed.