Charles Ray Mundy, Explosion, California 2018

Santa Paula, CA – Former wastewater treatment executive Charles Ray Mundy was sentenced to two years in Ventura County jail on March 14, 2018, for his role in a 2014 explosion at the Santa Clara Waste Water Company (SCWWC) facility. The incident, which occurred on November 18, 2014, injured numerous employees and first responders due to the reckless handling and disposal of hazardous chemicals.

Mundy, formerly the Vice President of Environmental Compliance and Facilities Operations at SCWWC, pled guilty to a slew of felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from the explosion and subsequent investigation. These included knowing failure to warn of a serious concealed danger, illegal disposal of hazardous waste, filing a forged instrument, and reckless disregard for handling hazardous materials – all felonies. He also entered a no contest plea to causing great bodily injury by emitting an air contaminant, another felony, and misdemeanor counts of repeated violation of labor safety standards and failure to update a critical business plan.

The Explosion and Its Aftermath

Investigators determined the explosion was directly caused by the incompatible mixing of hazardous chemicals within a vacuum truck. Crucially, Mundy was responsible for procuring 255 gallons of sodium chlorite, a regulated hazardous material, for SCWWC. Despite the legal requirement to report its presence in the facility’s Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP), Mundy deliberately failed to do so. This omission extended to first responders arriving at the scene of the explosion, who were not informed of the presence of the dangerous chemical, potentially exacerbating the risks they faced.

Forged Documents and Safety Violations

The investigation further revealed a pattern of deception and negligence. Mundy also concealed the presence of 5,500 gallons of Petromax, another hazardous chemical, from the HMBP through falsified submissions. During searches of his SCWWC office in November 2014, authorities discovered forged analytical results that Mundy had prepared and submitted to the City of Oxnard. These fabricated documents were designed to mislead regulators about the true hazardous materials present at the facility.

Sentencing and Future Restrictions

In addition to the two-year jail sentence, Ventura County Superior Court ordered Mundy to pay restitution to the victims of the explosion and placed him on formal probation for three years. A significant condition of his probation prohibits him from holding any position within the wastewater treatment industry, effectively ending his career in that field. The case was a joint prosecution led by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office and the California Attorney General’s Office, highlighting the severity of the offenses and the commitment to environmental and worker safety.

Key Facts

• Defendant: Charles Ray Mundy
• Location: Santa Paula, California
• Date of Incident: November 18, 2014
• Sentencing Date: March 14, 2018
• Charges: Felony charges included knowing failure to warn, hazardous waste disposal, forgery, and reckless endangerment. Misdemeanor charges included labor safety violations and failure to update a business plan.
• Penalties: Two years in jail, victim restitution, three years of formal probation, and prohibition from future employment in the wastewater treatment industry.
• Hazardous Materials Involved: Sodium Chlorite (255 gallons) and Petromax (5,500 gallons)

GrimyTimes will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.

Source: EPA ECHO Enforcement Case Database

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