Columbia, SC-- A Batesburg-Leesville man is accused of trying to pour chlorine bleach into a water holding tank in order to contaminate the water supply for dialysis machines.
According to Lexinton County Sheriff James R. Metts, detectives arrested Donald Albert Foster III, 49 of Leesvile, Wednesday afternoon on charges of Attempted Murder and Second-Degree Burglary.
Warrants allege that Foster unlawfully entered Fresenius Medical Services in West Columbia on July 7 at 9pm.
According to Metts, the medical services clinic suspended Foster without pay from his employment as a patient care and equipment technician on July 2 and he was directed not to enter the clinic or trespass on property.
Arrest warrants further allege that Foster knowingly and willfully used chlorine bleach to contaminate water in a water holding tank that is used to supply water for dialysis machines that the service operates.
Metts said that Foster knew from the training that he received at the clinic that the contaminated water would kill any patients whose bodies received the contaminated water while they underwent dialysis treatment at the clinic.
Employees at the medical services clinic performed a regualr test of water in the holding tank, on July 9, and found very high levels of chlorine in the water as a result of chlorine bleach being added to the water, according to Metts.
Under South Carolina law, attempted murder is a felony that carries a maximum punishment of 30 years in prison and second degree burglary is a felony that carries a maximum of 15 years in prison.
WLTX