Sheriff Eric Watson holds tire
Members of the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office, led by Sheriff Eric Watson and officers who supervise the regular work crews, responded this week to an area in the rear of one of Cleveland’s best-known churches, where a person or persons had dumped and stacked some 75 used tires.
Lieutenant Tim Mason received an alert that the large stacks of tires, some several years old, had been left behind one of the buildings on the campus of Faith Memorial Church on 17th Street.
The church’s pastor, Jimmy Dupree, had learned through witnesses that a U-Haul-type truck had driven behind the building, with the perpetrators unloading the tires. Pastor Dupree, concerned about the safety and health risks of having the discarded rubber tires, contacted Lt. Mason, who initially removed some of the tires, until it was determined the task was too great for one person, plus it was quickly decided to seek the people and the truck that left them there.
Sheriff Watson said, “Old, used tires are a health risk and a danger to children, especially. I felt like a reward of up to $500 for the arrest and conviction of these folks would open up the possibilities for charges. This is borderline vandalism.”
The sheriff stressed that this case is open and is being investigated thoroughly by his office and environmental division. The tires were removed from the dump site and are being disposed of legally.
Tire dump