Two businessmen pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges stemming from a massive tire fire in Muncie in 2003.
Michael Gruppe and William H. Gruppe III have reached a plea agreement with the Indiana attorney general's office in a Delaware County circuit court.
The co-owners of the CR3 plant admitted to illegal storage of tires, Call 6's Rafael Sanchez reported.
Initially, each co-owner faced six counts for violating state environmental laws in the August 2003 fire, which involved 33 fire departments, 200 firefighters and took three days to contain.
In a second not yet approved agreement, the company would put $500,000 in escrow for the cleanup of the site and would agree not to establish another tire recycling center in the state.
The site has not been touched since the fire nearly 2½ years ago. A cleanup plan is expected to be unveiled soon.
Watch 6News beginning First At Five for updates.Previous Stories:
- August 2, 2003: Tire Fire Continues To Burn At Muncie Business
- August 1, 2003: Muncie Tire Fire May Burn For Days
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