As we
first reported two weeks ago, a bunch of tourists on a boat on the Chicago River got a mouthful of crap when a tour bus driving over a bridge decided that would be the best place to
dump the bus's shit receptacle.
At the time, rumors held that the culprit was the Dave Matthew's Band. The band denied the charges, issued statements attesting to the whereabouts of the bus during the incident, and even opened up their sewage tanks to police so they could see (and smell) for themselves how full they were.
But it seems that wasn't enough. The Illinois Attorney General has decided to
sue the band, accusing the band of "polluting the river by illegally dumping 'liquid waste' from the septic tank of the bus." They're seeking $60-70,000, depending on which newspaper you read.
Dave Matthew's Band has offered to send DNA samples to prove the shit wasn't theirs.
(Does shit have DNA?)
Here is the evidence:
"Chicago Police Supt. Phil Cline said detectives obtained videotape footage from businesses nearby that show the bus on the bridge at the time of the incident earlier this month. The same bus was also seen parked at the Peninsula Hotel, where the band was staying. Another source said the video footage from near the bridge also captured images of a license plate that could be linked to the band.
"Wohl was driving one of the band's buses from a parking area just west of the Chicago River to pick up a band member at the Peninsula Hotel when he made the illegal dump at 1:18 p.m., according to the complaint."
What's interesting is that this lawsuit was brought by the city for reasons of pollution, and has nothing to do with the fact that over a hundred people had to bathe in Dave Matthew's effluent. So don't forget about the human aspect of this story -- read a
first-hand account.
