I-680 ACCIDENT Trucker enters plea in gas spill

The charge is punishable by fine only.
YOUNGSTOWN -- The truck driver police said toppled her rig and spilled 8,500 gallons of gasoline on Interstate 680 pleaded innocent at her arraignment and sprinted from court.
Justine L. Kelly, 34, of Versailles, N.Y., was in municipal court Wednesday afternoon to answer a charge of failure to maintain reasonable control. Magistrate Anthony Sertick Jr. set trial for 4:30 p.m. April 26.
Bret Hartup, an assistant city prosecutor, said the charge is a minor misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum fine of $150. No jail time is imposed on minor misdemeanors.
Hartup said before court that the spill remains under investigation and other charges might be filed.
After Kelly entered her plea, she hurried out of court to avoid reporters. She and another woman got into a black Ford Explorer with New York license plates parked a half-block from court and drove off.
The 8,500-gallon load of regular unleaded gasoline originated at the Marathon/Ashland Terminal on Bears Den Road and was destined for Wolf's Run Transport in Irving, N.Y. The tractor-tanker left the terminal at 12:48 p.m. March 29.
The rig, driven southbound on Interstate 680 to Exit 3A by Kelly, rolled to its side at 1:12 p.m. that day as it rounded the curve. Police describe the exit ramp as a slight S-curve with an incline that leads to state Route 711 northbound.
The ramp was closed for nine days to permit cleanup. Gasoline seeped into the ground and flowed into the sewer system.
Estimated cost of mishap
Fire Chief John J. O'Neill Jr. has said he won't be surprised if the bill for cleanup and other associated costs, such as safety forces' overtime, surpasses $1 million. He said the cost will be borne by the trucking company's insurer.
The tractor-tanker owner is Wolf's Run Transport, state Route 438, Seneca Nation Territory, Irving, N.Y., reports show.
Kelly told police after the accident that she felt the trailer begin to sway as she entered the curve and she tried to correct the movement by downshifting but couldn't get the truck in gear. When she looked in the mirror, she saw the vehicle's left tires lift off the road, and the tanker tipped. As the tanker rolled onto its side, it struck a light pole and came to rest on the shoulder in a ditch.
A witness from Howland told police that the 18-wheel truck was swerving and weaving as it went around the bend and was on nine wheels before flipping.