Heating oil spill closes Route 543 in Harford County

A tanker truck carrying home-heating oil overturned yesterday morning, shutting down a stretch of Route 543 near St. Anne Drive in Harford County until well after the evening rush hour.

A tanker driven by Frank Latini Jr. of the 3000 block of Deepwater Way in Edgewood was heading north on Route 543 near Street at 5:48 a.m. when it failed to slow at a curve, skidded into the right guardrail and overturned, said 1st Sgt. Scott Saunders of the Maryland State Police.

Latini was treated at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center and released, a hospital spokeswoman said. Latini was charged with driving at a speed greater than reasonable, Saunders said.

The tanker was carrying about 7,500 gallons of oil; 1,600 gallons were recovered. The rest of the fuel spilled on the highway and flowed into a nearby tributary of Deer Creek, but workers contained the oil and used vacuum trucks to clean the water.