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KCMO neighbors claim snow plow driver caused damage to truck, trailer

Damaged trailer.jpg
Truck damage.jpg
Posted at 6:29 PM, Jan 02, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-02 20:36:12-05

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As snow plow drivers are still working to clear streets, two Kansas Citians claim one of the plows hit their truck and trailer causing damage.

Da'Juan Hill woke up Saturday morning to find his truck damaged on South Benton Avenue.

"I had to work today, so now I guess this is what I have to do today," Hill said. "I'm trying to fix a tire."

Besides the flat tire, the truck's driver's side mirror was broken, and the truck is leaking oil.

Hill's ring camera captured the aftermath around 4:30 a.m. It doesn't show the incident itself, but shortly after when a plow truck came back and Hill went outside trying to alert the driver about what happened.

"I was livid. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't understand why he didn't stop," Hill said.

Hill's girlfriend Nikole Dunn said she saw what happened.

"It was repeated moving, so he knew he was doing, he was trying to get that off of his vehicle," she said. "It was obvious."

Across the street, the back end of Maurice Birdwell's trailer was ripped apart and moved a couple of feet.

"I came out over here and seen all this wood and stuff broke, like here, like all this damage," Birdwell said, "and I'm like what the heck happened?"

When accidents like this happen, Kansas City, Missouri, Public Works urges people to file a claim with the city either online or in person. The law department will investigate the claim and make a formal determination on whose fault this is.

Now Hill and Birdwell are left with costly damage and are surprised the person who did it didn't stop to speak with someone or leave a note.

"If I hit somebody on accident, I'm going to leave a note, that's just a human thing to do," Birdwell said. "So, with the city doing this it's even worse because you're supposed to have more accountability."

Hill had similar thoughts.

"If you hit somebody at least write a note," Hill said. "It's pretty much a hit and run."

If there is an incident with a city vehicle, according to KCMO Public Works, they have a reporting policy in place where the employee is to notify their supervisor and a report is completed.

According to the city's website, during major snow events residents may be asked to park vehicles off-street when snow depths exceed two inches but if you must park on the street -- the city asks you to park on the west side of streets running north and south and on the north side of streets running east and west.