Truck driver arrested for Thomas County diesel spill

April 27, 2018

THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WCTV) -- A truck driver has been arrested in connection to a

that shut down a South Georgia elementary school last week.

Jaron Coleman turned himself into the Thomas County Sheriff's Office this morning.

Coleman was allegedly delivering fuel to the Murphy's gas station in Thomasville on April 16. Authorities say surveillance video shows Coleman taking twice the amount of diesel he needed.

Coleman told employers he picked the wrong fuel the first time and decided to dump it into the storm drain behind the gas station so he wouldn't get caught for his mistake, according to the sheriff's office.

Officials estimate that 2,000 gallons of diesel was dumped.

The incident left behind $1 million in cleanup and

of Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School.

Coleman is facing charges of criminal damage to property and egregious littering.