A former BP engineer is the first person facing criminal charges stemming from the oil spill two years ago in the Gulf of Mexico. Allegations center on deleted text messages.
Former BP engineer Kurt Mix of Katy, Texas, is facing two counts of obstruction of justice. He’s accused of deleting 200 text messages exchanged with a company supervisor. Prosecutors say Mix was discussing internal information about failing efforts to cap the gushing underwater well.
Eleven men were killed in April 2010 when the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded off the Louisiana coast, spewing more than 200 million gallons of oil. BP says it will not comment on the charges, but says it continues to cooperate with Justice Department investigators.
