Reporter Arrested|at New Tesla Plant

RENO, Nev. (CN) - A Reno newspaper photographer was arrested and charged with felony battery and trespassing, accused of running over a security guard at the Tesla auto company.

Sheriff's officials arrested Jose Andrew Barron and jailed him under $30,000 bond after arresting him at the Tesla factory on Friday night, Oct. 9, the Storey County Sheriff's Office said.

Tesla Motors said in a statement that a security guard saw Barron, 59, and another employee of the Reno Gazette-Journal taking pictures of the unfinished factory. The security guard called the sheriff's office for backup.

"As the Tesla employee attempted to record the license plate number on the rear bumper, the driver put it in reverse and accelerated into the Tesla employee, knocking him over, causing him to sustain a blow to the left hip, an approximate 2-inchbleeding laceration to his right forearm, a 3-inch bleeding laceration to his upper arm, and scrapes on both palms," Tesla Motors said on an Internet posting.

Tesla said that when two safety managers arrived, Barron hit one of them with his Jeep.

Barron is to be arraigned on Nov. 18.

The Gigafactory will produce lithium-powered batteries for Tesla vehicles. The company says it's hoping to "produce batteries for significantly less cost using economies of scale, innovative manufacturing, reduction of waste, and the simple optimization of locating most manufacturing process under one roof. "

Tesla announced construction of the factory in September 2014. The $5 billion factory is projected to bring 6,500 jobs to Nevada.

The Silver State beat California, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico to land the Gigafactory.

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