City of Santa Rosa, CA, CivicReady Public Safety Alerts & Notifications
SRPD News Release: Driver responsible for hazardous liquid spill arrested
Driver responsible for hazardous liquid spill arrest by SRPD
At approximately 10:03 am on Saturday, September 28, 2024, the Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) and the Santa Rosa Fire Department (SRFD) responded to multiple 911 reports of diesel fuel spills in various locations in Santa Rosa. Several hundred gallons of liquid had spilled onto numerous roadways, prompting numerous full and partial road closures, as well as significant resources from SRPD, SRFD, the California Highway Patrol (CHP), Santa Rosa Transportation and Public Works (SRTPW), and CalTrans. Roads remained closed for approximately 4 hours as each site was cleaned. Santa Rosa Fire Department investigators and their Hazardous Materials Response Team members determined the liquid hazardous wastes were a combination of diesel fuel, waste oil, gasoline and other liquids commonly associated with auto repair.The SRPD Property Crimes Team and Environmental Crimes Unit responded to the scene and began a criminal investigation into the spill. Through witness accounts and various security camera footage near many of the spill locations, officers learned the containers of liquid fell from the back of a silver-colored horse trailer being towed by a 2019 red Chevrolet passenger truck, both with Oregon license plates. As their investigation progressed, they learned Lester Sturm, a 78-year-old resident of Oregon, was driving the truck. Sturm drove to California to pick up the horse trailer he had stored in Petaluma. Strum had stored the liquid hazardous waste and containers in the horse trailer and intended to transport the liquids to his property in Malin, Oregon.
Sturm later contacted SRPD via telephone and agreed to return to Santa Rosa to speak further with investigators. On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, Sturm met with investigators at SRPD. The details of this meeting are part of an ongoing investigation and are not subject to release at this time. Investigators were able to determine the spills were negligent and not intentional.
Sturm was issued an arrest citation for the following charges:
374.8(b) PC - Felony dumping of a hazardous substance
25189(a) HS - Felony false labeling of a hazardous material
Sturm will be required to return to California for future court hearings related to this investigation.
Five large plastic totes, each carrying several hundred gallons of liquid waste fell onto the roadway. Several of the totes sustained damage and leaked roughly 300 gallons of hazardous waste in six different locations. SRPD alone dedicated at least 17 employees for approximately 61 combined hours during the initial incident to conduct traffic control and provide support to SRFD and other agencies participating in the lengthy cleanup operation.
Santa Rosa Police Department case number 24-11459.
Media inquiries can be made to Sgt. Patricia Seffens, Public Information Officer, at 707-543-3634 or pseffens@srcity.org.
