A man is facing terror-related charges after police said he rammed his car through a gate at a solar plant outside Las Vegas and set his car on fire, disabling the huge facility, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.
Around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Las Vegas Metro police responded to the solar plant on U.S. 93 north of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, sources told the 8 News Now Investigators. 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 car is registered out of Idaho, documents said.
Police suspect Mesmarian drove through the fence Tuesday afternoon after employees had left for the day. It was not until 12 a.m. Wednesday when video reportedly shows Mesmarian setting the car on fire, documents said. Mesmarian reportedly watched the car burn, sitting in a chair for about 15 minutes before walking off, documents said.
Investigators also believe Mesmarian siphoned gasoline from his car to put on wires at the transformer, documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained said. Investigators found an iPhone in the burnt car with an account connected to Mesmarian, documents said. Police also found two laptops. (SOURCE)