Elderly Plainfield Farmer Surrenders to Police, Gets Arrested on Pollution Charges

An elderly Plainfield farmer wanted for allegedly dumping waste on his property and into the DuPage River surrendered to the police Tuesday.

Herman Fritz, 78, turned himself in at the Plainfield Police Department and was arrested on charges of criminal disposal of waste, air pollution and water pollution. Fritz reportedly paid $5,000 cash of his $50,000 bond and was released from custody without having to take a trip to the Will County jail.

A 10-count criminal complaint was filed against Fritz last week. He was reportedly expected to turn himself in at that time but did not do so.

In November, prosecutors secured a civil injunction forbidding Fritz from dumping on his property. The injunction remains in effect. Charles B. Pelkie, the spokesman for the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, said prosecutors are pursuing the matter on both civil and criminal fronts in a bid to get the property cleaned up.
The criminal complaint filed last week alleges that during November and December, Fritz dumped “more than 250 cubic feet of waste,” including “dirt, landscape waste, scrap metal, cardboard, bricks, asphalt, concrete” and other debris on his Fritz Road farm.

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