Two car-carrier truck drivers from New York probably wish they had never traveled into Lancaster County.

Or that they had brought more money with them.

Robert Dillon, 42, of Levittown, (Long Island) N.Y., was driving on Route 72 through East Petersburg shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday when a Manheim Township police officer noticed his rig did not have a required front license plate, Sgt. Robert D. Baldwin said.

Officer John Donnelly stopped Dillon for the violation and found safety violations when he checked his car carrier. The violations included not having enough chains to haul the vehicles, Baldwin said.

After Donnelly placed the truck out of service for the violations, Dillon called for another truck to transfer his load.

John Marino Jr, 26, of Hicksville, Long Island, arrived in the other truck, but he wasn't much help.

Donnelly found safety violations on Marino's rig, and the driver's paperwork didn't look right as to the registration and title, Baldwin said.

Marino's truck also was flagged.

Donnelly issued Dillon three citations that added up to $4,800 in fines and costs. Marino received three citations totaling $3,600, Baldwin said.

As they were from outside the state and their fines were hefty, police took Dillon and Marino before Magisterial Court Judge David L. Brian, Landisville, for arraignment.

Neither trucker could pay the amounts they owed, and both were committed to Lancaster County Prison, police said.


Staff writer John M. Hoober III can be reached at jhoober@LNPnews.com or 481-6027.