James Harris, 37, has pled not guilty to arson with disregard for human life and intent to cause damage by explosion. On Nov. 4, 2021, the sprawling factory was evacuated for a report of an explosion on the second floor in an area known as ‘Ghost Town’ or ‘Hidden City.’ That’s how Charles Naroski described the area, where he says employees have “hidden beds” and card tables set up. Naroski, along with Harris, worked inside the factory for a company called Team Industrial in 2021. They were contracted to clean the factory during the pandemic, according to Naroski and two other cleaning employees who testified Tuesday. According to images before the court, the explosion caused very little damage to the plastic bin and minivan doors it was placed in. The wall behind does have black soot marks. No one was hurt. One of Harris’ coworkers, Robbie Johnsrud, recalled a conversation two days before the explosion. “He said he heard something was gonna go down up there to avoid the area,” Johnsrud testified. Johnsrud told the court he would go for walks through the area when there was no work to be done. Johnsrud conceded on cross-examination, he never asked Harris to explain his comment and admits Harris didn’t confess to doing anything. None of the people who testified Tuesday saw Harris place the explosive device on the second floor. Pandemic protocols The explosion happened in 2021, while Stellantis was rolling out its vaccine mandates, requiring all employees and contractors to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or face termination. Naroski testified the day after the explosion, Harris handed him a flyer for a law firm that was signing up clients to launch a class action lawsuit against Stellantis. It was his understanding Harris was against the mandates, and he actively participated in anti-vaccine rallies and protests. Explosives report The pieces of the explosive, along with items seized from Harris’ apartment, were examined by an explosive expert. The report revealed the items inside the factory – including a timer, modified extension cords and wiring – would not heat up enough to spark or reignite when tested in the lab. And none of the seized items contained accelerants. The experts determined it was either not there to begin with, or it had evaporated by the time they tested them. The trial continues Wednesday with another of Harris’ coworkers.
