Merck Chemist Stole Poisonous Chemical, Dumped It Into Inlet: DA

A Bucks County man employed as a senior chemist at a Merck laboratory in Montgomery County stole a poisonous chemical and, when he learned he was under investigation, dumped it into a public stormwater inlet, authorities announced Tuesday.

Richard O'Rourke, 60, of Warrington has been charged with causing or risking catastrophe in connection with the alleged incident, which happened in December, according to a joint announcement from the Bucks County District Attorney's Office, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, the FBI and local police departments.

The action caused the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and surrounding water departments to be on "high alert" status, monitoring for signs of the extremely dangerous chemical for two weeks, authorities said.

Related: Authorities Scramble After Possible Water Poisoning, But Keep Mum

Authorities allege O'Rourke stole nearly 220 grams of potassium cyanide from the Merck & Co. laboratory in Upper Gwynedd Township. He later told authorities he had planned to use it to kill rodents on his property, but on Dec. 15 illegally dumped it into an inlet in the area of County Line and Street roads, between Easton Road and Second Street Pike, after he learned he may be under investigation.

Exposure to the chemical can be "rapidly fatal," according to the CDC.

The pharmaceutical company notified police on Dec. 16 that O'Rourke, who was not required to handle potassium cyanide as part of his job responsibilities, may have stolen the poisonous chemical after a tip from an employee. Immediately thereafter, the Pennsylvania DEP began monitoring the area water supply for signs of toxicity, and directed Aqua Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Water Department to test and monitor water samples from their intake systems.

The PA DEP and the water departments were on "high-alert status" for two weeks, authorities said.

"After two weeks of intensive testing, assessing and monitoring stormwater systems, outfalls, retention basins, waterways and their tributaries, no evidence was found of a toxic impact. At no time was cyanide detected at the drinking water intakes nor from any samples collected and analyzed by Aqua PA and the Philadelphia Water Department," the joint statement said.

The PA DEP said significant rainfall that happened following the dumping was likely sufficient in flushing the chemical out of the inlet, thereby preventing it from entering the water supply.

The FBI and the Pennsylvania DEP were called into the investigation due to the toxicity of the chemical allegedly taken.

O'Rourke was arraigned and posted bail, which was set at $35,000. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 6.

According to the CDC, potassium cyanide is a "highly" toxic chemical that interferes with the body’s ability to use oxygen. "It has whole-body (systemic) effects, particularly affecting those organ systems most sensitive to low oxygen levels: the central nervous system (brain), the cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels), and the pulmonary system (lungs)."