Drone Incident Leads to Arrest Near Grand Canyon Uranium Mine
An unusual incident involving a drone and a uranium mine near the Grand Canyon has resulted in an arrest. A Lukachukai resident, Bobby Mason, was taken into custody after allegedly crashing a drone over the Pinyon Plain uranium mine and fleeing the scene.
The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office has charged Mason with several offenses, including aggravated DUI, criminal damage, hit and run, reckless driving, and harassment. Additionally, he faces charges related to the unlawful operation of unmanned aircraft and has several outstanding warrants against him. Mason is currently held without bail.
The incident coincided with the resumption of uranium ore transportation from the mine to a mill in southern Utah. This follows a recent agreement with Navajo Nation officials to permit trucking across the reservation.
Authorities report that Mason’s drone collided with safety wires at the mine, used for transporting personnel, before he escaped in a silver Ford 150. His reckless driving was later observed heading towards Tusayan, where he was involved in multiple hit-and-run incidents on Highway 64 leading to Grand Canyon National Park. Park rangers eventually discovered the wrecked vehicle near the Desert View Entrance in the forest.
Energy Fuels, the company owning the mine, expressed concern over the event. The company’s senior vice president of marketing and corporate development, Curtis Moore, stated, “This was extremely dangerous behavior, and we will not tolerate the reckless actions of individuals that jeopardize the lives and wellbeing of our employees or the public.”
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