Garbage firm faces 6 counts in accident Incident in North S.L. hurt 4, left driver in coma

NORTH SALT LAKE -- Six safety violation charges have been filed against an official of a garbage disposal company whose truck was involved in a Nov. 30 accident in North Salt Lake that injured four people and left the truck driver in a coma. If convicted, Ralph L. Anderson, resident agent for Four Corners Precision Manufacturing, doing business as A-1 Disposal, could face a maximum $6,000 in fines or 90 days imprisonment per count, said North Salt Lake City Prosecutor D. Michael Nielsen. A-1 Disposal, which is headquartered in Salt Lake City, is also undergoing an investigation by the Utah Department of Transportation that could result in additional civil penalties. "The brakes were obviously not in good condition, and that's what caused the accident," said Nielsen. No charges against the driver are contemplated, he said. The accident occured when an A-1 truck driven by Khris Johnson did not stop at the intersection of Center Street and Orchard Drive, crashing into a car and a truck that then struck a pickup. Johnson had only been working for A-1 a week or two, said Nielsen. The charges against Anderson allege a braking system violation, operation of an unsafe vehicle, headlight violation, no safety inspection, expired registration and (UDOT) number display violation. Utah Highway Patrol investigators have been unable to interview Johnson, who has been unconscious since the accident, said Nielsen. Additional charges could be filed if additional evidence is uncovered, he said. "They (A-1 Disposal) are one of the companies with the highest number of violations in the last 10 years, but I would not say their practices are that out of order compared to the rest of the trucking industry," said Randy Hunter, risk management officer for UDOT. In 1993, A-1 was investigated by UDOT and fined $10,000 for 215 violations. These included operating a vehicle with unsafe tires, leaking wheel seals and having four of six brakes unadjusted or inoperative; requiring or permitting the operation of a motor vehicle declared "out of service" before repairs were made; operating a vehicle in such a condition as to likely cause an accident or breakdown; requiring or permitting a driver to drive after having been on duty more than 70 hours in seven consecutive days; failing to inspect and maintain a vehicle; failing to keep minimum records of inspection and maintenance of vehicles; and failing to maintain a variety of records relating to drivers. In 1996, A-1 was again investigated by UDOT and fined $5,000 for 30 violations. These included failing to correct safety-related defects listed on vehicle inspection reports, such as failing to adjust brakes or replace brake shoes; and permitting the operation of vehicles with multiple safety violations. A-1 Disposal is currently undergoing a third investigation by UDOT. "We're taking a look at the whole company," said Shirleen Hancock of UDOT's Motor Carrier Division. The division can assess civil penalties of $500 to $2,000 per violation per day and can ultimately pull a company's plates or permits, effectively putting it out of business, said Hancock. However, UDOT's "main goal is to bring (companies) into compliance," she said. The division has not put any company out of business in the past two years, Hancock said. Anderson did not return phone calls. A-1 Disposal had been hauling garbage for North Salt Lake since 1996, and the city was in the process of canceling the company's contract due to poor performance at the time of the accident, said City Manager Collin Wood. Anderson is the son of polygamist leader John Ortell Kingston. Another Kingston son, John Daniel Kingston, is a partner in A-1. In May, John Daniel Kingston was charged with beating his 16-year-old daughter, who had attempted to escape from a forced polygamous marriage to an uncle, one of Kingston's brothers. The matter is still in the courts.