Feds Indict Pilot in SF Oil Spill

Attorney vows to battle misdemeanors, calling them premature

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 17, 2008 6:17 PM CDT

(Newser) – The pilot of a ship that dumped 53,000 gallons of oil in San Francisco Bay last year was indicted today, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. John Cota faces two federal misdemeanor charges, for releasing a pollutant and killing migratory birds; at least 2,000 birds died in the spill. His attorney called the filing premature because the NTSB is still probing the incident.

"We are hopeful that our dialogue with the government will continue, but we are prepared to vigorously defend against these criminal allegations," his lawyer said. Cota faces up to 18 months in prison and $115,000 in fines if convicted. The State Board of Pilot Commissioners has blamed Cota for the crash, and the Coast Guard accused him of being unfit to pilot another ship.

An oil spill is seen from the air with the Bay Bridge in the background in San Francisco, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2007. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

The damaged Cosco Busan is seen in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2007. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A gash stretches along the hull of the Cosco Busan as the cargo freighter anchors in the San Francisco Bay, Calif., in this Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007, file photo. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A long gash stretches along the Cosco Busan's hull as it anchors in the San Francisco Bay, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

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Feds Indict Pilot in SF Oil Spill

Attorney vows to battle misdemeanors, calling them premature

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Chinese witnesses fight to return to families

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Exxon has paid $3.5 billion over years, but claimants want 'closure'

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Feds Indict Pilot in SF Oil Spill

Attorney vows to battle misdemeanors, calling them premature

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

environment • oil • oil spill • Bay Bridge • Cosco Busan • San Francisco Bay • San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge • environmental damage

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Slow Response Slammed in SF Bay Oil Disaster

Cleanup lags as contamination sprawls, area residents try to rescue seabirds

Crew Still 'Jailed' Year After SF Bay Spill

Chinese witnesses fight to return to families

Oil-Slurping Nanotechnology Next Front in Fighting Spills

MIT scientists create mesh that keeps water out, can hold 20 times its weight in crude

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Case Bound for Supreme Court

Exxon has paid $3.5 billion over years, but claimants want 'closure'

Korea Struggles to Clean Spill

Government declares state of disaster

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Newser By Users

Community

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