Spreading nails across highways, as reported in several cases in Utah during the past week – and leaving them to flatten tires of unsuspecting travelers – is a the thoughtless and lawless action that should arouse public indignation.
It isn’t hard to envision tragedies that could result from such a senseless tactic: An ambulance stalled with flat tires while rushing an injured or critically – ill person to the hospital; or any other serious situation that could be turned to disaster by tire flats or blowouts.
Indeed, numerous reports of damage and inconvenience have been channeled to law enforcement agencies:
– Nail incidents were reported in Utah and Juab Counties. One trucking firm in American Fork reported one of its vehicles had 32 nails in one set of wheels after going through the Levan area south of Nephi, one of the widely scattered spots where nails were reported on highways.
– A trooper in Nephi reported a truck at a diesel station had eight flat tires after traveling through the same area.
– A dozen trailer-truck rigs and several passenger cars and vacation campers reported flat tires in Clear Creek Canyon near Richfield.
– Nails on the highway near Lakepoint flattened 12 tires on one truck rig. Six passenger cars also had flats.
Authorities, as this was written, had made no arrests; nor had they disclosed whether any evidence had been found linking the nail throwing incidents in Utah with the national wildcat strike of independent truckers protesting high diesel fuel prices and the 55 mph speed limit. But the widely-separated locations of nails on the roads would indicate something more than coincidence or accident, whoever is responsible.
Spreading nails deliberately in a road is an act to be deplored. Persons or groups responsible for such behavior should be a apprehended and prosecuted. If you have knowledge that might lead to successful conclusion of the investigation, make it available to law officers.