Police investigating incident at South Carolina nuclear plant after car drives through security fences

(OCONEE COUNTY, S.C.) — Police in South Carolina are investigating an incident involving a vehicle that drove through security fences at a nuclear power station on Thursday.

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is now in the early stages of an investigation into an incident that occurred earlier this evening at the Oconee Nuclear Station when the E-911/Communications Center received a call from the Nuclear Station around 8:05 p.m. on Thursday and dispatched Deputies to the scene.

Police say that a “white male driving a silver 2002 Toyota Camry drove through the exit side of the gate on the Highway 183 side of the facility,” according to information obtained by Deputies from the Uniform Patrol Bureau.

“After the vehicle struck the pop-up barricades that security at the plant activated, the driver backed the vehicle up and proceeded down a dirt road, where Duke Energy security blocked the vehicle in, according to Deputies. The driver then drove through a fence after attempting to hit the security officers,” a press release from the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office read.

The driver then reportedly drove out of the exit of the plant where he attempted to hit a security truck with a guard in it, police say.

The driver then made his way back onto Highway 183 before driving into Pickens County and pulled onto some property on Jones Mill Road where shots were subsequently fired.

At this time, the source of the shots fired in the Jones Mill Road area is unknown.

The silver 2002 Toyota Camry has an Arkansas tag of 380VDR, according to information obtained during the investigation. The Sheriff’s Office has issued this information to surrounding agencies.

“About one hour before tonight’s incident, the same vehicle and driver also showed up on the property of the Oconee Nuclear Station. After being asked to leave, the driver drove off,” police said.

Anybody with any information on the whereabouts of the driver of a 2002 Toyota Camry with an Arkansas tag of 380VDR is asked to contact emergency authorities immediately.