Tesla Says Journalists Hit Employees With Jeep

Tesla claims two journalists broke into its top-secret Gigafactory and ran into its employees with a Jeep.

They allegedly entered the car firm's lithium-ion battery facility in Nevada and turned on employees when confronted.

Tesla said in a statement that it was the latest in a number of trespassing attempts, and urged people to stay away in future.

In a blog post, the company said two trespassers were spotted taking photographs of the Gigafactory site and a manager was sent to investigate. The Sheriff's department was also alerted.

The pair were apparently approached but refused to give their names.

Tesla said their employee credentials were hanging around their necks, featuring their names and roles at the Reno Gazette-Journal.

They denied trespassing, Tesla said, but it added they would have had to cross a fence with "private property" signs to enter the site.

When they were asked to wait for police to arrive, Tesla said they got into their vehicle and accelerated into an employee.

He was knocked over and suffered cuts and bruises.

Then, two Tesla safety managers got into a vehicle and pursued the two alleged trespassers, and the Jeep reportedly hit their vehicle.

Tesla said one of its two employees got out and approached the Jeep, and that the driver accelerated into him.

The Reno Gazette-Journal would not confirm or deny details of the report, but said that one employee - a veteran photographer - had been arrested.

It (Other OTC: ITGL - news) said its vehicle had been damaged during the incident, with a rock being used to shatter the driver-side window.

Publisher John Maher said: "We take this situation very seriously and it is under investigation at this time."