A trucker from Tulsa, Oklahoma has been charged in Willow Springs, Missouri for dumping nearly 500 gallons of ethanol fuel in a ditch. Carl Wescott is faced with a year in jail and/or a fine not less than $2,500 but not greater than $25,000. The incident took place in March of 2008.

Missouri Highway Patrol noted that Wescott admitted to dumping the fuel because his load was too heavy and he needed to meet truck weight limits.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources tested the area where the fuel was dumped and found high levels of explosive vapors. Although ethanol burns cleaner than the hydrocarbons found in gasoline, its vapor can burn with explosive speed when mixed with air in the correct fuel/air mixture.