Man fined $5,000 for dumping car in Fairbanks salmon river

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A 29-year-old man convicted of dumping a car into the Chena River south of Fairbanks has been fined $5,000 and placed on probation for three years.

Mario Bruce pleaded guilty Oct. 3 to a misdemeanour counts of polluting and harming a salmon stream. Prosecutors dropped two other counts.

Bruce must also pay restitution for removal of the car from the river and state cleanup costs.

Alaska State Troopers on Sept. 3 received a report of a sedan without license plates sunk in the river about 30 feet (9 metres) from shore. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation helped contain an oil slick leaking from the car.

Troopers used underwater photos to find the vehicle identification number. They linked the car to its owner in Florida and then to Bruce.