Amy Mek
An Iranian man faces terror-related charges after ramming his car through a gate at a solar plant outside Las Vegas and setting his car on fire, disabling the facility, reports 8 News Now.
Around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Las Vegas Metro police responded to a solar plant on U.S. 93 north of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Employees at the plant said they found a car smoldering in a generator pit.
The Mega Solar Array facility provides energy to MGM properties but is run by a company called Invenergy.
The driver, later identified as Mohammad Mesmarian, 34, is accused of ramming through a fence and setting the car on fire. The vehicle is registered out of Idaho.
Police suspect Mohammad drove through the fence Tuesday afternoon after employees had left for the day. It was not until midnight. Wednesday, when video reportedly shows Mohammad setting the car on fire, documents said.
Documents said that Mohammad reportedly watched the car burn, sitting in a chair for about 15 minutes before walking off.
Investigators also believe Mesmarian siphoned gasoline from his car to put on wires at the transformer.
Police found an iPhone in the burnt car with an account connected to Mohammad. Police also found two laptops.
Police located Mohammad at a campground on Thursday, a day after the fire, in Boulder Beach at Lake Mead. It was unclear how Mohammad made it from the solar site to Boulder City, a 30-mile drive.
“Mohammad clarified he burned the Toyota Camry a couple of days ago,” police said. “Mohammad stated he burned the vehicle at a Tesla solar plant and did it ‘for the future.’”
Metro police said a person from Republic Services, near the solar plant, called police earlier on Wednesday about a person who was trespassing, documents said.
Police noted numerous recent attacks on power infrastructure in recent months.
Mohammad faces charges of committing an act of terrorism, arson, destroying or injuring real or personal property of another, and escape by a felony prisoner.
An employee at the plant said the fire caused “major damage,” estimating it would take two years to receive replacement parts, police said. In addition, the damaged unit remained shut down due to the fire, and the plant was not producing electricity, police said.
“Following an incident at the Mega Solar Array facility, on-site personnel immediately notified authorities and shut down the plant’s operations as a precaution in accordance with industry-standard safety protocols,” an Invenergy spokesperson said, “No one was injured, and we are currently restoring the facility’s full operations.”
Mohammad was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on several felony charges, including committing an act of terrorism, first and third-degree arson, and destroying or injuring real or personal property of another.
Also, police say while he was in Mitchell’s custody, Mohammad attempted to escape officers and flee; he is also charged with escaping by a felony prisoner. Judge Danial Westmeyer ordered him held without bail.
A background check by Channel 13 News reveals Mohammad’s most recent address is in Aurora, Colorado. He also had a speeding offense in Anchorage, Alaska, in 2018. At this time, the investigation continues. However, detectives believe that the suspect acted alone, as Mohammad is due back in court Tuesday.
Vlad Tepes
Pretty fragile and totally unprotected facility to be shut down two years by one match.
Seems he is uninformed about the grid. Attacking a “renewable” plant will have zero impact as they contribute so little.
Execute him.
The plant was unprotected because it will be impossible to protect solar plants without a huge army. To provide all the necessary electricity for Nevada will require about 7 thousand square miles of solar. An army of 7 thousand could only provide one soldier for every square mile. That’s not enough.
Good thing he’s technically white!
Can you imagine the FBIs embarrassment if they accidentally sent a person of color to commit a domestic terror attack?
Iranian…that was close!
Muslims from all over the middle east continue to come into Europe, the U.S. and Australia and disrupt normal society with criminal acts of terrorism. It will continue since no country bans them from entering. There obviously is no solution if governments allow this ongoing.
White supremacy everywhere. Oh wait it’s the radicals we allow in this country.
NOW, NOW!! WE ALL KNOW THAT THEY CAN’T CHARGE A MUSLIM WITH TERRORISM THAT’S ONLY RESERVED FOR WHITE CONSERVATIVE AMERICA FIRST PEOPLES. HE JUST LOST CONTROL OF HIS CAR BECAUSE A COYOTE RAN IN FRONT OF HIM WITH A BUNCH OF IMMIGRANTS AND HE RAN OFF THE ROAD SO HE WOULD NOT HURT ANYONE.
Blame the Iranian Loving, Domestic terrorist group themselves, The Democrats. And we need to make them Compensate for the increased energy costs throughout the co9untry.. Take whats theirs, and redistribute it to everyone but the Democrat voters.. They deserve nothing ever again.
Another Mohammad allowed on OUR soil.
China Joe might move the US Border Patrol up to Nevada, so they don’t slow the flow of illegal aliens.
Curious how he got into our country. We read stories about terrorists crossing the Mexican border, and forming sleeper cells. It appears that he’s been here for awhile, long enough to go to Alaska. No indication of anyone helping him, so a cell is probably out. They should get a reporter to cover this.
His mom was born in Oxnard, California.
He is a very nice guy, kindhearted, outgoing, great with kids, caring person who would do anything for you if he could.
Right now, he is going through a lot of stuff in his life.