Arkansas man arrested, accused of driving through the gate into a South Carolina nuclear plant

An Arkansas man was arrested and charged Friday for his purported role in a gate crashing at the Oconee Nuclear Station in Seneca, South Carolina.

On Thursday evening, a driver in a silver 2002 Toyota Camry with Arkansas plates showed up at the plant before being turned away. Police allege that the driver, Doyle Whisenhunt, 66, of Lockesburg, Arkansas, came back about an hour later.

Mr. Whisenhunt is accused of illegally trespassing by driving through an exit gate at the station, striking and going through popup barriers activated by plant security, and driving through a fence after being boxed in by security hired by plant operator Duke Energy.

As part of that sequence, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office also accused Mr. Whisenhunt of attempting to hit security guards. Duke Energy said in a statement that the actual plant itself was not breached during the incident.

Mr. Whisenhunt has been charged on one count each of attempted murder, malicious injury to personal property and unlawful entry into an enclosed place, the sheriff’s office said.

Mr. Whisenhunt’s motive for his alleged actions is still unclear, law enforcement said.

“It appeared to be something not quite right you know with this individual whether it was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, obviously we don’t know at this point,” Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw said, according to WHNS-TV.

After leaving the nuclear plant, Mr. Whisenhunt purportedly drove to nearby Pickens, South Carolina, where he was scared away from the driveway of a house when the homeowner fired a warning shot.

The 2002 silver Toyota Camry that Mr. Whisenhunt is alleged to have driven was recovered in Pickens County on Friday afternoon, having been abandoned.

Mr. Whisenhunt was brought into custody in Pickens County Friday after a man called to report that Mr. Whisenhunt was inside a vacant property owned by the caller’s father. The caller told WHNS-TV that he held Mr. Whisenhunt at gunpoint until Pickens County law enforcement arrived.

In addition to the charges relating to the nuclear station incident, Mr. Whisenhunt also stands accused of getting into an accident on South Carolina Highway 183 on Thursday and failing to remain at the scene.

For that, he faces an additional and separate hit-and-run charge, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office said.

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