Joseph Hazelwood

Joseph Hazelwood

Joseph Jeffrey Hazelwood (born September 24, 1946) is an American sailor. He was the captain of the Exxon Valdez during its 1989 oil spill. He was accused of being intoxicated which contributed to the disaster, but was cleared of this charge at his 1990 trial after witnesses testified that he was sober around the time of the accident. Hazelwood was convicted of a lesser charge, negligent discharge of oil (a misdemeanor), fined $50,000, and sentenced to 1,000 hours of community service. In 1999, the Exxon Valdez oil spill was listed as the 53rd largest spill in history.