NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The Justice Department said it has made the first arrest in the BP oil spill case, charging an ex-engineer with obstruction of justice.
Kurt Mix, of Katy, Texas was arrested on charges of intentionally destroying evidence. He faces two counts of obstruction of justice.
The Justice Department said the 50-year-old Mix is accused of deleting a string of 200 text messages with a BP supervisor in October 2010 that involved internal BP information about how efforts to cap the well were failing.
In a statement released by the department, Attorney General Eric Holder said: "The Deepwater Horizon Task Force is continuing its investigation into the explosion and will hold accountable those who violated the law in connection with the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history."
Justice Department officials said Mix would make an initial appearance in federal court in Houston on Tuesday afternoon.
The Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010, killing 11 men and spewing 200 million gallons of oil.
BP officials did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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