Police: Truck Driver Strikes Landscaping, Drags it With Him

A Michigan truck driver admitted to that he ran over landscaping with his tractor trailer but continued driving down the road -- with a rock and a 55-gallon plastic barrel lodged underneath.

Christopher Hatfield, of L’Anse, Mich., was cited for accidents involving unattended property.

According to police, the hit-and-run accident happened Friday (June 8) near the intersection of Newburg and Werner roads in . 

Around 1:06 p.m., police said, a witness, who was not identified, saw a tractor trailer pass his house on the 3000 block of Werner Road. However, large trucks cannot make the turn at Newburg and Werner without driving through yards, the witness said.

When the man checked on his property, he discovered: 

• Large landscaping rocks were in the road. One rock was missing.
• Two 4x4 posts were knocked down.
• A 55-gallon plastic barrel was missing.

Colonial Regional Police followed the drag marks from the barrel and rock, which were stuck under the truck, down Newburg to a truck terminal on Chrisphalt Drive -- almost two miles from where the incident originated.

At the terminal, police located a driver, later identified as Hatfield, under a trailer trying to dislodge the barrel. The rock came loose on Newburg after breaking into pieces and damaging the road, according to police.

Hatfield told police he didn’t know the rock or barrel were stuck under his truck until he arrived at the terminal. He did, however, admit to striking the landscaping items, according to police.