Chemist charged with stealing cyanide
A chemist stole potassium cyanide from his workplace to use as pest control at home and poured it down a suburban Philadelphia storm drain when he learned there was an investigation, prosecutors said.
RichardO’Rourke, 60, has beencharged with risking a catastrophe,theft, receiving stolenproperty and recklessly endangeringothers. He’s accusedof taking about a cup of potassiumcyanide from the Merck& Co. facility in MontgomeryCounty in December.
Reached at his home Wednesday, Mr. O’Rourke said didn’t want to comment. A message seeking comment from his lawyer wasn’t returned.
Aco-worker witnessed himpouring potassium cyanideinto a beaker and then intoa Nalgene water bottle onDec. 14, then leaving the building,according to a releasefrom District Attorney KevinSteele. That worker informedauthorities, and Mr. O’Rourkelater dumped the chemicalnear his Warringtonhome about 30 miles north of Philadelphia, after learningthere was an investigation.The state Departmentof Environmental Protectionbegan monitoring the watersupply after determiningthere was a possible threatto drinking water. The departmentwent into “high alert”and increased its monitoringat stormwater systems,retention basins, waterwaysand tributaries, from Dec.15 to Dec. 29.
Itwas determined that therewas no evidence of watercontamination, or any environmentalor human healthimpacts related to the dumping,department spokesmanNeil Shader said.
Mr. Steele said a heavy rainfall at the time likely helped diffuse the chemical.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 6.