James Island man facing federal charges for burning Tesla chargers in North Charleston

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) — A James Island man who police said used Molotov cocktails to burn Tesla chargers in North Charleston is now facing federal charges.

Daniel Clarke-Pounder, 24, was arrested Thursday in connection with the incident, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.

North Charleston officers responded March 7 to a Tesla charging station on Tanger Oulet Boulevard around 7:15 p.m. following reports of a suspected arson.

When they arrived, witnesses explained a White man in a grey jacket/hoodie with a black face mask spray-painted “F*** Trump, long live Ukraine” in red next to the Tesla charging stations near the area.

Authorities said the man then threw Molotov cocktails made out of beer bottles at the charging stations, damaging them, before leaving the scene.

“Witnesses advised that the suspect had accidentally caught their own back on fire while throwing the devices,” the initial police report stated.

“While we will defend the public’s right to peaceful protest, we will not hesitate to act when protest crosses the line into violence and mayhem,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews. “These kinds of attacks have no place in our community. We are grateful for the prompt response of our first responders and law enforcement.”

“We must remain united in our commitment to safety and respect for all, regardless of political differences,” Andrews continued.

Tesla dealerships and charging stations have been the target of suspected arson attacks nationwide in recent weeks as Tesla CEO Elon Musk faces backlash over his efforts to slash government spending and drastically cut the federal workforce.

Fire crews cut power to the charging stations shortly after the alleged attack. No injuries were reported.

The North Charleston Police Department, the North Charleston Fire Department, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Fire, and Explosives investigated the case.

Clarke-Pounder was arraigned in federal court Friday afternoon. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.

He is being held at the Al Cannon Detention Center pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 17 at 1:30 p.m. in Charleston County.