Police: Schenectady man drove garbage truck drunk, hit co-worker

A Schenectady city sanitation worker was fired after allegedly driving a garbage truck while drunk and hitting a fellow employee.

Schenectady Police said Robert L. Thomas, 51, was backing up in the 600 block of Orchard Street around 8 a.m. Tuesday. He struck the second worker, who was loading trash into the rear compartment, investigators said. The worker was pinned between the truck and a pole.

The victim underwent surgery at Albany Medical Center, police said.

Thomas was charged with two counts of driving while intoxicated and a violation of backing unsafely. He was released on appearance tickets.

The city fired him.