HARRIS, NY — What’s the saying about trying to stuff 10 pounds of stuff into a five-pound bag? A driver named Douglas Furman, 33, of Glen Wilde essentially tried the same trick with a pickup truck and a big steel tank.

The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Patrol received a report of an erratic driver on Big Woods Road in Harris on the afternoon of September 4.

Deputy Joseph Calvello responded and saw that the erratic driver was operating a Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck with a six-foot bed, with a large, 15-foot tank protruding from the back of the truck and dragging on the surface of the road.

“The driver was apparently taking the tank to a scrap yard in Liberty”, said Undersheriff Eric Chaboty. “This guy wasn’t stopping for anything.”

After the driver was interviewed, he was placed under arrest and charged with driving while his ability was impaired by drugs.

According to a press release from the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, “The investigation revealed that Furman had used a come-along to load the steel tank, and that it was completely off the ground when the driver started his trip. After a short while, however, the bed of the pickup experienced metal fatigue under the weight of the load and when the tailgate buckled, the tank began dragging on the ground.”

Furman was issued an appearance ticket to appear in the Town of Thompson Court. Deputies are investigating how Furman acquired the steel tank.