The driver of a tanker trailer that rolled over on Highway 2 near CrossIron Drive on Jan. 20 has been charged with Careless Driving under the Alberta Traffic Safety Act, according to Airdrie RCMP Media Liaison Constable Jason Curtis. He faces a $402 fine and could receive six demerit points.
The driver, 59, from Calgary, originally told officers at the scene that he may have fallen asleep.
“That would be our basis for laying the charge,” Curtis said. “We have grounds to believe that’s what occurred.”
Highway 2 was closed in both directions for more than eight hours after the tanker trailer, that was travelling southbound on Highway 2 and was loaded with gasoline, rolled over and hit the centre median, according to Curtis. Airdrie RCMP were called to the scene at 4 a.m.
Gasoline and diesel from the tanker leaked onto the road, according to Curtis, resulting in the lengthy road closure. A total of 40,000 gallons was released onto the roadway and into the ditch between the north and southbound lanes.
“No other vehicles were involved,” Curtis said. “There were no drugs or alcohol involved.”
One lane of southbound Highway 2 and two lanes northbound were reopened at approximately 12:30 p.m., according to Curtis.
“Our involvement is to ensure any issues or challenges to the environment are mitigated,” said Public Affairs Officer with Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Jamie Hanlon. “Our role (on scene) was to monitor the situation itself. There were environmental clean-up crews engaged by the responsible party there and it was our job to simply monitor those activities to ensure compliance with provincial Environment and Protection Act regulations. Our focus now ongoing is mitigating the risk to the environment and making sure any remediation is done to provincial standards.”
Along with Airdrie RCMP, Rocky View Fire Services, Provincial EMS, Alberta Highways and Alberta Environment were at the scene, according to Curtis. No one was injured.
Corbett Convicted
Kelly Corbett, 52, of Cochrane was convicted on Dec. 16, 2014 of Mischief and Failure to Comply with Conditions of an Undertaking, something her neighbour Amanda Field said she hopes will bring an end to Corbett’s activities.
Cochrane RCMP officers responded to a complaint around 10:45 p.m. on Sept. 29, 2014, alleging Corbett was naked, intoxicated and causing a public disturbance on her front lawn in the GlenEagles neighbourhood. This wasn’t the first time officers had been called to the residence; Corbett was arrested and charged with mischief for the same behaviour on July 13, 2014 as well.
“It’s been a persistent problem for a number of years and we’ve been frustrated with the slow process of the legal system, as it took many months to finally see this in court,” Field said.
Officers were able to view footage captured by neighbours on a security camera of the Sept. 29, 2014 incident and determined Corbett was behaving indecently.
Corbett received a suspended sentence and probation for one year. Now that she has been convicted, Field said she’s hopeful Corbett will face more serious consequences should there be further incidents .
Trailer Heaters Recovered
Strathmore RCMP recovered 29 transport trailer heating units used in 18 wheelers that were stolen from a business in Mississauga, Ont., when they executed a search warrant at an industrial property in the Wrangler Industrial Park on Jan. 13, according to Detachment Commander Staff Sergeant Kevin Reilly.
Officers executed the search warrant at 8 a.m. The value of the units, stolen over the holiday season, is $377,000. Reilly said the units are on their way back to their owner in Mississauga.
