News Sentinel Staff
An
arrest warrant for aggravated criminal littering has been issued for
a Jefferson County man accused of illegally dumping hundreds of used
tires among several sites in Loudon County, authorities said.A total of 365 tires have been found in recent weeks along rural county roads, according to the Loudon County Sheriff's Office. The clean-up cost was estimated by authorities to be $500.
Many of the tires had distinctive markings that were traced back to a Knoxville tire shop, Dave's Tires, authorities said. The shop owner told investigators he paid Christopher Winder, 26, to dispose of the tires properly, according to the sheriff's office.
Authorities later learned Winder, whose last known address was in Dandridge, has been charged with the same offense in Jefferson County.
Markings on the tires illegally dumped in Jefferson County had the same distinctive markings as those found in Loudon County.
"It appears as if this is a growing problem that could affect a lot of people," Loudon County Sheriff Time Guider said.
A woman who answered the phone at Dave's Tires on Cecil Ave Knoxville said she had heard about the dumping incident but that the company had no knowledge in advance that the tires were not going to be disposed of properly. She said her company regularly contracts with individuals to remove used tires. She said Winder was paid the same rate that the company usually pays to have tires disposed of. She said she did not know exactly how much the owner of the company paid to have the tires removed.
Anyone with information on Winder's whereabouts is asked to call Loudon County E-911 at 865-458-9081.