The before. 12.58 tons of debris were left at a private residence in the Philadelphia Community.
Photos courtesy of the Sheriff’s Office
The after. GFL Environmental workers responded to the scene and cleared the debris.
Photos courtesy of the Sheriff’s Office
ROCKINGHAM — Investigators with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office have charged a Hope Mills man with illegally dumping an enormous amount of trash on private property.
Malcolm Clement Williams, 53, of Hope Mills, North Carolina, is charged with one count of felony littering. He is accused of dumping 12.58 tons of debris in the front yard of an abandoned home located at 158 Brewington Ave. in the Philadelphia Community.
Residents allegedly observed Williams in the act on Nov. 11 and reported it to law enforcement.
“The Landfill was closed on Veteran’s Day so he found a spot in front of an abandoned house,” said Sheriff Mark Gulledge. “If not for members of the community taking a stand and reporting this incident so quickly, it could have led to a larger mess and harder to make the arrest.”
Investigators found that Williams was driving a commercial trash truck owned by GFL Environmental, which has trash pickup routes in the area, when he dumped the trash. Representatives from the company responded to the location to assist with the investigation and removal of the debris.
It’s unclear if Williams is still employed with GFL. According to the press release, GFL workers removed all 12.58 tons of trash from the front yard of the residence. An attempt to contact a representative of GFL Thursday was unsuccessful.
Williams was given a $5,000 unsecured bond. He’s scheduled to appear in District Court on Dec. 2.
Gavin Stone contributed to this report.
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