Three Officials Charged Over Flint Water Crisis

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A city worker and two state officials were charged Wednesday in connection with the Flint water crisis — the first criminal charges filed over the water contamination emergency in the Michigan city.

Felony and misdemeanor charges were filed against Flint worker Michael Glasgow and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) employees Steven Busch and Michael Prysby, according to local media.

The charges were approved during a hearing by Judge Tracy L. Collier-Nix in the 5th division of Genesee County Court on Wednesday morning.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, whose office has led the investigation, is expected to officially announce the charges later today.

Glasgow, the city's water supervisor, is charged with willful neglect of evidence and tampering with evidence for allegedly changing test results to show less lead had leaked into the city's water supply from its aging pipes.

The two MDEQ workers are also facing evidence tampering charges and misconduct in office.

According to MLive.com, the three were not in court on Wednesday morning.

Bill Pugliano / Getty Images

Asked of the charges on Wednesday, Gov. Rick Snyder said his administration "encouraged the investigations" and had been "cooperating."

Flint's water supply became contaminated in April 2014, when the city switched its source from Lake Huron, which is managed by Detroit, to the Flint River. Some of the city's nearly 100,000 residents have since had high levels of lead found in their blood.

Leaked emails published in January showed state government workers were receiving bottled water a full year before it was made available to residents.

This is a developing news story. Check back for updates or follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.

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