Attorney General's News Release

December 14, 2006

Callaway County man sued by Nixon jailed for violating court order to clean up waste tire dump

Fulton, Mo. — A Callaway County man who failed to clean up an illegal waste tire dump near Auxvasse and cease burning tires on the site as ordered by the court has been arrested by Callaway County authorities for violating the order. Richard Schneider, who lists addresses in Auxvasse and O'Fallon, was arrested in Wentzville on Dec. 13.

Attorney General Jay Nixon filed a lawsuit against Schneider and his stepdaughter Sabrina Llamas-Soto in Callaway County Circuit Court in September 2005, asking the court to order them to immediately stop dumping on the site, properly dispose of all scrap tires, and allow the Missouri Department of Natural Resources access to the dump location to ensure compliance with the court order.

On April 24, 2006, the court ordered the defendants to immediately stop burning scrap tires, remove and document the removal of all scrap tires from the site and remove and dispose of a 55-gallon drum containing hazardous materials that was on site. An inspection of the site by officials with the Attorney General's Office and DNR on Nov. 26 found that approximately 1,000 scrap tires still remained on site, with four tire fires burning.

“This site was a real environmental hazard, with approximately 10,000 tires on the property as well as a number of plastic drums and gas containers holding unknown substances,” Nixon said. “Since the defendant doesn't share our view of the danger to our air and water that such sites pose, perhaps a little jail time will motivate him to finally meet his responsibilities and finish cleaning up this toxic mess,” Nixon said.

The order of commitment states that Schneider is to be confined until he resolves the contempt of court order against him by fully complying with the court's April 24, 2006 order. Compliance includes providing DNR with documentation in the form of landfill receipts regarding the tires and the 55-gallon drum of hazardous waste that he has already removed. Once DNR has the information, it will clean up the site while Schneider is incarcerated.

Nixon said the state intends to ask the court to order a civil penalty once the site has been cleaned up and a cost associated with the cleanup determined.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to the Press Secretary.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818