Man drives through gate at Oconee Nuclear Station, police searching for suspect

Authorities in Oconee County, South Carolina have launched a search operation for a man they say crashed his car into the security barricades at the Oconee Nuclear Station Thursday night, just an hour after security asked him to leave.

The Oconee County's Sherrif's Office responded to a call from the nuclear station around 8 p.m. on Nov. 2 about a car that rammed into the security barricades at the station, said the sheriff's office in a news release.

Deputies from the Uniform Patrol Bureau said that a white male drove a silver 2002 Toyota Camry through the exit gate on the Highway 183 side of the facility.

After the vehicle struck the pop-up barricades, the driver backed and drove down a dirt road, where security blocked the vehicle in, said the deputies. However, the suspect escaped by driving through a fence after attempting to hit security officers.

"According to Deputies, the driver then drove out of the exit of the plant, where he attempted to hit a security truck with a guard in it," said the news release. "After driving back onto Highway 183, the driver then drove into Pickens County and pulled onto some property on Jones Mill Road [about 5 miles away], where shots were fired."

The source of the shots is not yet known, said the sheriff's office.

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Search for suspect, car

Authorities identified the vehicle as a silver 2002 Toyota Camry with an Arkansas tag of 380-VDR, using information obtained during the investigation.

The news release said that the same vehicle and driver showed up at the Oconee Nuclear Station's property about one hour before the incident where the driver was asked to leave.

"After being asked to leave, the driver drove off," said the news release.

An investigation into the incident is still in its early stages and authorities have requested anyone with information on the driver and vehicle's whereabouts to call 911 immediately.

Suspect was stopped due to enhanced security

Located in Seneca, South Carolina, the Oconee Nuclear Station is operated by Duke Energy Carolinas, according to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

In a statement to USA TODAY, Duke Energy said that no one was injured in the accident and that the Oconee Nuclear Station is operating safely.

"Duke Energy has comprehensive security plans and a well-trained security workforce in place," said the energy company in a statement. "A vehicle entered an administrative gate but was not able to access the plant due to our multiple layers of security."

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