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Impaired Garbage Truck Driver Sideswipes Vehicles, Hits Building in Brooklyn: NYPD

What to Know

  • An impaired garbage truck driver sideswiped nearly a dozen vehicles and hit a building in Brooklyn
  • When police arrived at the scene, the 40-year-old driver tried to flee on foot
  • The driver was arrested and faces charges including resisting arrest and driving while ability impaired

An impaired sanitation truck driver who lost control of his vehicle, sideswiped nearly a dozen vehicles and hit a building told police he'd fallen asleep behind the wheel, officials said. 

Anthony Castaldo, 40, of Brooklyn, was traveling east on 60th Street, near 19th Avenue, in Mapleton, Brooklyn around 5:30 a.m. on Saturday when he lost control of his Viking Sanitation truck and sideswiped nine vehicles before hitting a building at 1869 60th St., police said.

When police arrived at the scene, Castaldo pushed an officer and tried to flee on foot, but was arrested soon after, the NYPD said.

Castaldo had slurred speech, watery eyes, smelled like alcohol and was unsteady on his feet, a complaint filed with the Brooklyn District Attorney's office said.

The driver said he'd fallen asleep at the wheel, according to the complaint. 

Castaldo was taken to Maimonides Medical Center with minor injuries, according to police. He faces charges including operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, reckless endangerment and reckless driving, the complaint says.

He was released on $5,000 bail on Sunday and is expected to appear in court on Friday.

A police officer who fell while chasing Castaldo was also taken to Maimonides, where he was treated for his injury and released.

A spokesman for Viking Sanitation on Sunday said the company "has a long track record of safety and we hold ourselves to high standards, including random drug testing for drivers." 

"It appears that this driver failed to adhere to our standards and he was immediately suspended as part of the ongoing investigation of this serious incident," the spokesman added. 

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