Prison for La. man in 2008 Miss. River oil spill

NEW ORLEANS – The co-owner of a company whose towboat was involved in an oil spill that closed part of the Mississippi River for nearly a week has been sentenced to 21 months in prison.

Randall Dantin of Marrero had pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice. The 46-year-old was also ordered Wednesday to pay a $50,000 fine.

U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle ordered Dantin's company, DRD Towing Company LLC, to pay a $200,000 fine. The company pleaded guilty to operating vessels with unqualified and overworked captains.

In July 2008, the towboat was pushing a tanker barge when it collided with a tanker ship. The barge spilled 283,000 gallons of fuel and closed part of the river for six days.

Dantin caused electronic payroll sheets to be deleted before the Coast Guard could review them.