What was originally called an agricultural spill was actually an unidentified substance that spilled in the roadway near the intersection of Southeast Boulevard and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Clinton on Tuesday morning shortly after 9 a.m.
“It was dispatched as an ag spill but it turned out to be something else,” Clinton Police Chief Adrian Mathews said.
When they arrived on the scene, first responders from Clinton police and fire departments found what the chief called “excessive waste” from a dumpster along the roadway. The waste was yellowish in color and was spilled near the exit to the Smithfield plant, all the way up to the stoplight at the intersection.
After a thorough investigation, the driver was located and identified as Rodney Johnson of GFL Environmental Co. Inc. He was issued a criminal citation for failing to secure a load and for unintentional littering, Mathews said.
“So, what happened was that GFL has a dumpster at Smithfield and the driver had just picked up that dumpster, but we determined that it was not animal waste that spilled,” Mathews explained. “We’re not sure exactly what it was, to be honest.”
The incident took about two hours to clean up.
“The Clinton Police Department underscores its ongoing commitment to holding individuals accountable for littering and unsafe practices on public roadways,” the chief stated in a press release. “Ensuring that waste is transported safely and responsibly is equally vital. Both accountability and safety play a critical role in protecting the well‑being of our community and the surrounding environment.”
The latest spill marks the fourth one reported this year within the county. On Jan. 16, an ag waste spill was reported near the intersection of NC Highway 24 and Bass Lake Road. Kenneth Higginbotham of Making Moves Trucking Co., Inc., a company contracted by Smithfield Foods, was issued a criminal citation for failing to secure a load, unintentional littering, and failing to stop after an animal waste spill, though he later proclaimed his innocence in an interview with The Sampson Independent.
Two spills happened in the town of Roseboro within a few days of each other, with waste spilling into the roadway on Jan. 23 at South East Street and Roseboro Street, and on Jan. 27, at East Drive and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. A driver for Ronys Trucking LLC of Salemburg, Alvin Matthews Jr. of Clinton, was cited by the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office for littering, failure to stop in the event of an animal waste spill, and failure to secure load in the Jan. 23 spill, while Nickey Hall of Rowland, driving for GLN Logistics, was cited for failure to secure a load by the Sampson County Sheriff’s Department for the Jan. 27 incident.
Anyone with information related to this incident is urged to contact the Clinton Police Department at 910‑592‑3105. Individuals wishing to remain anonymous may submit tips by texting 847411, beginning their message with “tipcpd.”