Two people have been arrested in connection to an incident that took place when a Republic Services waste collection truck driver was threatened by a person carrying an assault-style weapon in Flint, Michigan.
Flint Police Detective Sergeant Tyrone Booth told MLive.com that it is still an ongoing investigation and could not provide any further information as to how these two were developed as suspects or why there was a dispute. The suspects have not yet been arraigned in court.
The incident originally surfaced when Jamoni Harper, an area leader for Republic, told the city council June 30 that his company’s employees reported the incident to police.
“One of our drivers had an AR-style gun pulled out on him during the route, which is why the routes weren’t completed yesterday,” Harper told council members. “Our people deserve to come home the same way they went to work—in one piece.”
Council President Kate Fields said she has also heard of other incidents where waste collectors have been threatened.
“We got lawlessness in this community ... Now it’s affecting the garbage people,” 1st Ward Councilman Eric Mays said.
As reported by MLive.com, Republic Services pulled waste collection trucks off their routes in Flint on June 29 in response to the incident.
The city is expected to revisit the issue at a special meeting, according to a news release from the mayor’s office.
Latest from Waste Today
- Aspen, Colorado, implements phase 2 of Organic Waste Diversion ordinance
- Cards Recycling, Live Oak Environmental merge to form Ecowaste
- Indiana awards $500K in recycling grants
- OC Waste & Recycling, Agromin partner for expanded compost and mulch program
- Aduro revenue increases while losses widen
- BGL promotes investment bankers to managing director
- Hyundai announces chief operating officer
- Ameresco, Republic Services launch RNG facility at Illinois landfill
