Garbage truck hits Uniontown City Police station, damaging building and two cars
An Advanced Disposal garbage truck careened into the Uniontown City Police station Monday morning, totaling a police car, damaging a second police car and tearing down wires and barricades.
“It shook the building,” said Uniontown City Police Capt. David Rutter.
No injuries were reported. He estimated the monetary damages at “tens of thousands of dollars.”
The garbage truck driver was parked at the top of a steep hill to pick up trash outside Fayette County Prison when it began rolling downhill at about 9:20 a.m. Both the driver and passenger were outside the truck. The driver told police he had the parking brake on. The truck will be inspected to determine whether any mechanical failures led to the crash.
A city police officer returning from a call narrowly avoided a collision with the truck. Surveillance footage showed the officer backing into the front of the station at the same time as the truck began rolling.
“It missed him by 15 seconds. It would have wiped him out,” he said.
The footage shows the truck breaking through barriers outside the Fayette County Prison, a puff of smoke as it pulled down wires and a flurry of broken glass from the truck’s windshield as it struck the building. Footage from inside the lobby shows rugs lift from the floor from the force.
“It weighs so much, you couldn’t stop it,” Rutter said.
K2 Engineering was called to inspect the building. A construction crew is working to stabilize the building to prevent collapse or further damage.
The truck hit the bathroom adjacent to the police secretary’s office and lobby. That office was closed for Columbus Day. Rutter said it was fortunate the crash occurred on a government holiday, with the Fayette County Courthouse and other offices closed.
“If this was a work day, there would have been a lot more vehicle traffic and a lot more foot traffic,” he said. “This area is usually a buzz of activity.”
Uniontown City Fire Department assisted at the scene.