Bob Bolus Claims Scranton Bridge Strike Not a "Hit & Run"
By: Eric Deabill
Updated: November 8, 2012
Scranton, Lackawanna County - There are new details emerging about the investigation into how hit the Moosic Street bridge in Lackawanna County.
Well-known businessman Bob Bolus came forward Thursday afternoon, saying one of his employees is the person who accidentally hit the bridge.
He is fighting allegations that it is a "hit and run" case.
Since last Friday, the bridge has been closed, causing roughly 15,000 drivers to take a detour coming-and-going into downtown Scranton.
"First of all, so everybody knows, this is the driver. He's not hiding. Nobody's hiding from anyone," Bolus said standing under the bridge.
Bolus and his attorney would not identify the driver by name, saying that will come in a police report. He said what happened is an accident and not a case of "hit and run."
"There was full cooperation. This was not a hit and run. It was reported to the insurance company. He'd been in contact with the Scranton police. He found out who the driver of the car was. He personally took the driver to the Scranton police to give a statement to help complete the accident report," attorney Tony Moses said.
Last Friday morning, PennDOT closed the bridge after an excavator hit all eight bridge beams. Chunks of concrete were taken off. PennDOT officials have said the bridge will need to be replaced and will not reopen until at least the spring.
Bolus and his attorney say that might not be needed.
"He did go as far as to retain a private structural engineer who does feel that it is fixable in a short amount of time," Moses said.
Thursday afternoon, Bolus also faulted investigators for removing the excavator from a property in Dunmore. He says they could have had full access to the property.
"They went and spent thousands of dollars of taxpayer money to remove this machine for absolutely no purpose. They had full permission to come on there, search, do whatever they wanted to do," Bolus said.
Deputy District Attorney Bob Klein declined to comment on Bolus' press conference late Thursday, saying the investigation into what happened is ongoing.
Efforts to reach a PennDOT spokesman late Thursday was unsuccessful.
