Editorial: A chemical plant is no place for criminal behavior

A 37-year-old Kingsport man faces a litany of charges after allegedly driving through a security gate at Eastman Chemical Co., setting the vehicle on fire, and then fleeing through the plant in a stolen company pickup.The charges might be sufficient to land Justin Lee Carroll some time in prison, but better that than the cemetery. Crashing a vehicle through a perimeter security gate, stealing a company truck, and driving it under pursuit inside a major chemical plant can quickly get you dead, no questions asked.All Eastman said about the situation was: "A vehicle entered our Tennessee Operations property Monday morning through a fence gate and Eastman's emergency services contacted the Kingsport Police Department for assistance. They quickly resolved the situation and took a person into custody. Any additional questions should be directed to Kingsport Police."Carroll was driving a Nissan Maxima Sept. 6 when he allegedly drove through the Eastman gate. Police say he parked the car, stuffed napkins into a cup holder, and set them on fire. He then allegedly stole a Chevrolet Silverado owned by Eastman and drove it through the plant while being pursued by city police. Several employees had to take evasive action to avoid being struck by the truck, which then crashed into a fence. Officers had to forcibly remove the driver from the truck to take him into custody.Carroll is charged with leaving the scene of an accident, felony reckless endangerment, felony vandalism, felony evading arrest by motor vehicle, resisting arrest, aggravated assault, aggravated criminal trespassing, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of meth for resale, possession of unlawful drug paraphernalia, DUI and violation of implied consent, and arson.Several weeks later, a 33-year-old Kingsport man was charged with vandalism and vehicle theft after allegedly stealing an SUV from a downtown parking lot and also driving it through a gate and then setting it on fire. But not at Eastman.Kingsport police received a call about a man driving a Ford Explorer through the gate at Northeast State Community College's Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing on Main Street and then setting the vehicle on fire. He then fled on foot.About an hour later, a call came in about a suspicious man on Eastman's property near Wilcox Drive, attempting to open car doors. Police located Nathan Bledsoe near Sullivan and Market streets, and during questioning, he reportedly told police he was "training to be like you." Bledsoe also allegedly told officers he drove through the gate at the RCAM "to mark the spot."Kingsport police charged Bledsoe with vandalism over $1,000 and theft of a motor vehicle. Eastman officials informed Bledsoe he was banned from all Eastman property.Two incidents of criminal behavior on Eastman property of late should serve as a warning that a chemical plant that may have potentially catastrophic vulnerabilities as a terrorist target is no place for criminal behavior.Despite that Eastman handed this incident over to city police, we have no doubt that it is fully capable of immediately responding as necessary to any threat. The same would be true for Holston Army Ammunition Plant.