US Sailor Suspected of Intentionally Setting Ablaze Unit’s Drug Test Samples

A US Navy sailor is under investigation for allegedly deliberately setting on fire a metal cage locker containing nearly 900 urinalysis samples and records, all of which were extensively damaged in the incident.

The fire occurred May 1 at 8:56 p.m, just hours after the sailor's Naval Air Station Oceana unit initiated a full drug test for its roster, according to an affidavit filed in Virginia Beach Circuit Court two weeks ago.

The investigation has found that the fire was set intentionally with the use of gasoline as an accelerant.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) has also revealed that the suspect sailor purchased $5.23 in gasoline from a Norfolk 7-Eleven about four hours before the incident, and his vehicle was captured on surveillance camera entering the base at 7:30 p.m and leaving it about nine minutes after a fire alarm sounded.

The sailor is assigned to the work space where the urine samples were stored and had access to the room after it was locked. According to witnesses accounts, he locked it at 5:30 p.m. but later returned to the building because he'd forgotten something there. He was also scheduled to be on leave from 3:30 p.m. that day through May 5.

NCIS spokesman told AP that a special agent obtained a search warrant for the sailor's cell phone records from April 1 through July 1. No one has yet been charged in the case.