Tesla’s statement goes on to describe how Barron, behind the wheel of the Jeep, “put it in reverse and accelerated into the Tesla employee, knocking him over” and leaving him with bleeding gashes. It is not the first time that Tesla has experienced trespassing by Reno Gazette employees.
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Tesla said there had been several instances of trespassing at the gigafactory, which the company says will cut the cost of its battery packs by around 30pc – a necessity if it is ever going to make electric cars for the mass market.
Sheriff Antinoro says he is unsure whether the guards were a firm contracted out by Tesla, or direct employees of Tesla.
On the way out, the Jeep also struck the safety managers’ ATV and struck another employee in the waist.
The Storey County Sheriff’s Office said that Barron is held on a $30,000 bail.
They were located and approached by a Tesla safety manager, before being joined by a second safety manager working at the facility.
According to the report from Reno Gazette-Journal, whom the photographer is employed by, Andy Barron was arrested and subsequently booked on a charge of battery with a deadly weapon.
On Friday, Tesla received what may have been the most serious physical security breach after two journalists broke into the factory to take pictures. “He had a blow to his left hip and sustained an “an approximate 2″ bleeding laceration to his right forearm, a 3″ bleeding laceration to his upper arm, and scrapes on both palms”, according to Tesla.
The journalists refused to identify themselves once notified that they were illegally trespassing on Tesla property, though Tesla notes that IDs from the Reno Gazette Journal were hanging from their pockets and plainly visible. “Disregarding this request, the RGJ employees entered [their company Jeep]”.
As for Tesla, it says it will be taking a hard line on “repeated” attempts to get behind-the-scenes shots on the massive new battery factory.
A few news outlets aren’t as careful about obtaining their images.
“(W)e will not stand for assaults on our employees and are working with law enforcement to investigate this incident and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice”, they concluded.
The under-construction Gigafactory has been a focus of local and national media coverage. In the case of the Gigafactory, the heavy machinery being used is both a risk to untrained and unauthorised personnel but also a risk to those operating it.
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For the record, we do not condone trespassing on private property nor will we feature any content produced as a outcome of trespassing – and we hope other sites follow a similar editorial line too.
