Mercury spill update for December 20, 2019

Five days ago on December 15, 2019, breaking news unfolded of a report of traces of a mercury spill found in the area of 10750 Westview Drive. Several businesses were affected. Walmart, McDonald’s, Sonic, Bucky’s (not Buc-ee’s. Houston Police Department and the FBI teamed up during this investigation and arrested one person named Christopher Melder. 

He then went to a Walmart and Shell gas station about half a mile from the abandoned business and tried selling small amounts of the mercury for $20 each, according to prosecutors. Two people bought the mercury and authorities are trying to track them down. Melder spilled the mercury onto the pavement when he played with it with his hands and didn’t try to clean it up. Mercury was found inside and outside the Walmart and outside the gas station, a nearby Sonic-Drive-In and a convenience store. Officials believe people unknowingly stepped on the mercury and spread it. The spills weren’t detected at these businesses until Sunday. 

Melder is charged with burglary and the illegal disposal of hazardous waste. In response to Ruzzo’s arguments, state District Judge Chuck Silverman raised Melder’s bonds from $5,000 to $50,000. The judge also set a $100,000 bond for a prior drug charge that Melder had received a form probation to resolve. Prosecutors said Melder had failed to report to his probation officer for several months. Ruzzo said his client is indigent and can’t afford to pay his bonds.

The FBI’s Houston office has said it believes the mercury spill was not intentional and that Melder had no nefarious intent. Ruzzo declined to comment when asked if Melder knew he was handling mercury, or if the spill was an accident. Authorities allege Melder stole about 11 pounds (5 kilograms) of the liquid metal from Geochem Laboratories Inc. on Houston’s west side on Friday. 

Melder is also accused of spilling about five ounces of mercury at around 2:30 a.m. Saturday inside the emergency room of a hospital in the northern Houston suburb of Spring. Authorities say Melder was getting treated for a lacerated finger when the mercury fell out of his pocket and backpack. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were unable to identify sufficient probable cause to file criminal charges against Melder at the time of the hospital spill.

Melder’s next court hearing is set for Feb. 13.

MERCURY SPILL UPDATE: On December 19, 2019, the Houston Health Department tweeted out;  "The Houston Health Department has reviewed monitoring data submitted by Walmart’s remediation contractor. After review, the health department gave the company clearance to reopen at its discretion. The health department does not currently have a timeline for the reopening of the other affected businesses."

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