Car Crashes at Nuclear Weapons Plant

[struggle4progress]

Source: Associated Press

Monday July 30, 2007 6:31 PM

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. - A driver ran a checkpoint at a nuclear weapons plant early Monday and crashed into a barrier, then fled on foot, authorities said. Oak Ridge police were searching for the driver.

Guards at the Y-12 plant, a primary storehouse for bomb-grade uranium, said the man ``appeared to be impaired in some way'' when they stopped him around 5 a.m. at a security checkpoint near a rear entrance, spokesman Bill Wilburn said.

They asked the man for identification, but he hit the gas and drove through the checkpoint. The vehicle crashed 300 yards away into a gate-like security barrier that was activated by guards.

``When he hit that, he jumped out of the car and ran away. He left the car there with the engine still running,'' Wilburn said. ~snip~

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6815610,00.html

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

1. But, was the car on fire?

MKJ

[Skink]

2. 300 yards= tochdown right?

Maybe throw or something...

[Gregorian]

5. Yes. But I think there might be a penalty for leaving the engine running.

Five yards years in prison.

[KeepItReal]

3. "security police officers did exactly what you do in these situations"!?!?!

...as in let the guy RUN THA FUDGE AWAY???

WTF?

[Barrett808]

4. Consider how many times Homer Simpson has done this very thing...

...and gotten away with it.

[420inTN]

6. local news (memphis) reported guard smelled alcohol on driver

so, it's possible that the driver was drunk and disoriented/stupid, or was drunk and showing up for work, or was drunk and wanted to suicide. dunno.

[MichaelHarris]

7. Was he

a dark-skinned doctor posing as a pizza delivery man? Those are the ones you have to worry about.

[krispos42]

8. I bet the guy thought it was a tollbooth

It's happened before, drunk drivers making a wrong turn into a secure area, driving up to a guard booth, and trying to give the guard money for the bridge toll.

Idiots. :-)

[Solon]

9. I one time got lost on some backroads in Illinois and ended up at Scott AFB by accident...

I was driving a friend home from work in Belleville, and after I dropped him off, I got turned around, it was like 2 AM or so. All of the sudden I was at a checkpoint with armed guys in camo in a booth with one of those "arms" like in parking garages blocking the road. Guy walks up to my car and asks for identification, I damned near freaked out, but I asked for directions to the nearest highway, told him I was lost, and stupid, etc. He was nice, and told me where to go, then let me through that first checkpoint to hang a U-Turn to get home. Closest I ever been to a military base, I will say that. The funny thing was that the guy I dropped off is a reservist who is based at Scott.

[auburngrad82]

10. Wasn't Oak Ridge the plant where Roy Oakley worked?

The guy who was arrested a week ago for trying to sell "nukuler" secrets to the french? If so, then maybe they need to look into new management.