“Mr. Baggett’s actions show the need to eliminate from our vocabulary the phrase, ‘it’s just environmental crime’; Mr. Baggett’s actions endangered the public by dumping hazardous waste into the environment and endangered law enforcement by putting them in the cross hairs of harm’s way.” – Brett Tolman, U.S. attorney for Utah.
Arrested in the Florida Keys, Larkin Baggett, 55, of Cottonwood Heights admitted to pointing an assault rifle at police officers upon arrest. Mr. Baggett admitted to dumping hazardous materials into Salt Lake City’s sewer system, hence his disappearance from Utah. Mr. Baggett awaits trial and sentencing on October 14th with Federal Judge K. Michael Moore in the Key West Court. Mr. Baggett will face 98 years in prison along with an undermined amount of fines for his crime. Mr. Baggett’s first run in with the law in Salt Lake City occurred during the 2004-2005 winter season, where he violated the Utah Clean Water Act by dumping hazardous truck cleaning chemicals twenty-two times into a sewer near his business. Upon his arrest in the Florida keys, Mr. Baggett refused cooperation and threatened “to go down in a blaze of glory” and to “[...]take out everyone at EPA.” EPA agents shot Mr. Baggett in the face and buttocks, where he spent two months recovering.
The environment is like philosophy in the way of how it’s a part of our daily lives everyday. If the philosophy of ‘it’s just environmental crime’ pervades, then how does that affect our everyday lives? Quite profoundly. Hazardous waste affects us all.
