Summary

On October 15, 2014, Kelly Steen, Baker, Montana, was indicted in U.S. District Court, Billings, Montana for the illegal transportation of hazardous materials. 

On December 29, 2012, Steen, who is a driver for Woody's Trucking, also of Baker, Montana, loaded natural gas condensate, or "drip gas," from a pipeline station that transports products from the North Dakota Bakken oil fields. The drip gas was hauled from Watford City, North Dakota, to Custom Carbon Processing, Inc. (CCP). CCP is a slop-oil processing/recycling company based near Wibaux, Montana. The bill of lading that accompanied the shipment identified the product as "slop oil and water," which is a non-hazardous substance. However, while Steen was pumping the front tank of the truck into the CCP facility, a fire ignited, injuring three employees. The tanks on the truck burned for eight days until the local fire department could determine that they held drip gas and not slop oil and water, as indicated on the bill of lading. Drip gas is a hazardous material and the truck was not placarded to indicate it held a flammable liquid.

We are conducting this investigation with the Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division.

Note:  Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the Government.  All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.