JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A count of 4,389 tires stacked in the yard of a Jacksonville home was the subject of several complaints and resulted in two men being charged with maintaining a waste-tire site without proper permits and creating a public health hazard, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Curt Hatton, 46, of Jacksonville, and Richard Evans, 46, of Mayo, were using their property on Rogero Road to store waste tires, according to FWC investigators. They were not arrested, just cited and ordered to remove the tires right away.
"The two men operate RL&C Services, LLC, reselling and disposing of used tires," said FWC Investigator Bennie Radcliff. "The FWC worked with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and the Department of Environmental Protection on the complaint."
During an inspection of the property, investigators discovered the large number of tires being stored there as well as quite a bit of mosquito activity.
"We notified Jacksonville Mosquito Control and the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department of the situation," Radcliff said. "A burn barrel was found in the middle of the tires, and the two men were warned about the dangers of any type of fire near waste tires."
Hatton and Evans were given a notice to appear in court for maintaining a waste-tire site in excess of 1,500 tires without the proper permits and creating a public health hazard for the mosquito activity at the property.
"We will also be conducting a follow-up inspection to ensure that the tires have been removed and properly disposed of at a permitted waste-tire processing facility," Radcliff said.