A Missouri grand jury indicted a teenager for the firebombing of two Tesla cybertrucks and the unlawful possession of a Molotov cocktail.
The teen, identified as 19-year-old Own McIntire, was charged with one count of malicious destruction of property and one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device.
Missouri Teen Charged With Firebombing Cybertrucks
The indictment against the defendant alleges that he intentionally made use of fire and explosive materials to damage or try to destroy the cybertrucks on Mar. 17, 2025. The vehicles that were targeted were involved in interstate commerce, which made the teen's case eligible for federal prosecution.
McIntire is also accused of knowingly possessing a Molotov cocktail that was reportedly not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. If the defendant is convicted of the charges against him, he faces up to 20 years and 10 years of imprisonment for the first and second charges, respectively, according to MSN.
The teen's act supposedly caused damage to the two cybertrucks, which were valued at $105,485 and $107,485. The fire he started also resulted in damage to two charging stations worth roughly $550 each. In a court appearance on Friday, McIntire pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
Officials arrested McIntire in Massachusetts, where he is a college student, and he first appeared in court on Apr. 18, 2025. He was later released to his parents' home and has since been kept under electronic monitoring.
Tying the Defendant to the Case
The case began after a Kansas City police officer, on the night of the incident, noticed smoke rising from the Tesla lot while passing by at around 11:16 p.m. He then found a grey cybertruck on fire as well as an unbroken Molotov cocktail inside an apple cider vinegar bottle nearby, The Kansas City Star reported.
The police officer quickly tried to extinguish the fire but it quickly spread to a second vehicle, which prompted the Kansas City Fire Department to respond to the scene. Authorities attributed surveillance footage and DNA evidence in tying McIntire to the crime.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said that any individual who wants to firebomb a Tesla property will not evade the law. She added that perpetrators will be arrested, prosecuted, and spend decades in prison.
The acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Dan Driscoll, said that the action was not merely vandalism, but a violent criminal act, as per ABC News.
