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Truck caught dumping trash in northeast Houston
FOX 26 Reporter Sherman Desselle spoke with one pastor in the area who is fed up with the trashy situation.
HOUSTON - A Northeast Houston Pastor is hoping whoever is responsible for dumping trash near his church will be caught.
"It’s been understood that the northside of Houston and other areas of color are areas where you can dump your trash with little to no consequence," says the M.D. Morrison, Sr. of New Faith Baptist Church Northeast. "There’s not a lot of traffic back here. There’s not a lot eyes on the situation, and they feel like they can get away."
RELATED: Houston leaders doubling fines for illegal dumping
Surveillance video from the back of the church shows the moment an unknown truck is seen unloading piles of garbage, old furniture, and clothes on Parkhurst Drive near Homewood Lane. The driver and license plates are not visible.
"It’s not nothing new," says Chris Alexander who was passing through the neighborhood on his bicycle. "People are lazy. They don’t care no more…and there’s a sight where you can throw stuff legally not too far from here."
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Houston’s 311 website shows multiple reports of trash issues in the neighborhood. Morrison says he calls them frequently.
Constable Allen Rosen says it’s a growing problem and the community could help his environmental crimes unit to catch the polluters.
"It’s frustrating, and it’s a quality of life issue for these neighborhoods," says Rosen. "We can’t solve these cases exclusively by law enforcement. We need the public’s help. They’re sick and tired of it, and so am I."
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VIDEO: City sends trucks to pick up massive trash dump
Since FOX 26 aired the story on a massive illegal dumping scene outside a church, the City of Houston sent out trucks to northeast Houston to clean up the trash. The Pastor of the church sent us the video.
Those caught dumping could face hefty fines and even a felony - those charges are determined by the weight of the waste and the type of material dumped in those areas.
Since our illegal dumping story aired, the City of Houston sent trucks to the area on Parkhurst Drive in northeast Houston to clean up the trash. The pastor who we interviewed sent FOX 26 the video.
If you have any information about this illegal dumping case or see it happening in the area, contact your constable’s office or Crimestoppers. Your call can remain anonymous.