2008 Woodie Awards
Bomb threat clears courthouse
By: Brian Szabelski
Issue date: 3/27/08 Section: Local
An anonymous bomb threat was called in to the Wood County Courthouse yesterday afternoon, prompting an evacuation and hour-long search.
No injuries were reported and no explosive devices were found in the courthouse.
The threat came in to the courthouse switchboard around 3:45 p.m., Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn said. The switchboard operators immediately contacted local authorities, including the sheriff's office, Bowling Green police and fire departments, courthouse security and University police.
"Under the direction of University Police Lt. Dave Weekley, we went through the whole complex and checked out everything," Wasylyshyn said. "We did secure all of the facilities, and when we were satisfied, we gave an all clear."
The all-clear was given shortly after 5 p.m.
A motive for the threat is unknown at this time. Wasylyshyn added that there were no court or jury trials scheduled yesterday.
The meeting to certify the results of the March 4 Wood County prosecutor's primary went on as scheduled at 6 p.m.
Wasylyshyn said that he didn't think the threat was related to the certification meeting.
The streets surrounding the courthouse were closed to traffic as authorities searched the premises. They were later re-opened once the all-clear had been given.
Among those in the building at the time was Wood County Commissioner Jim Carter, who helped begin the evacuation of everyone inside the courthouse and county offices.
"We went ahead and set off the fire alarms and cordoned off the area," Carter said. "Everyone's out, and [authorities] are going room to room to verify that there's not a bomb."
Assistant Wood County Prosecutor Heather Baker was in the building when the fire alarms went off. Baker said that she had never seen something like this happen before and was unsure how many people were inside the courthouse complex when the threat was called in.
Assistant Wood County Prosecutor Aram Ohanian was not in the building at the time of the threat, but returned from his daughter's doctors appointment to find himself unable to get in.
"I have a trial tomorrow, so it puts a crimp in my trial preparations," Ohanian said. "At least it was on a nice day."
The Wood County Sheriff's Office is now investigating to find the caller that phoned in the threat.
"We're taking the investigation very seriously," Wasylyshyn said. "We will prosecute them to the fullest extent."
Wasylyshyn also said that the caller who made the threat will not only be charged criminally, but will be charged for all costs related to the search.
Editor-in-Chief Lisa Halverstadt contributed to this article.
No injuries were reported and no explosive devices were found in the courthouse.
The threat came in to the courthouse switchboard around 3:45 p.m., Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn said. The switchboard operators immediately contacted local authorities, including the sheriff's office, Bowling Green police and fire departments, courthouse security and University police.
"Under the direction of University Police Lt. Dave Weekley, we went through the whole complex and checked out everything," Wasylyshyn said. "We did secure all of the facilities, and when we were satisfied, we gave an all clear."
The all-clear was given shortly after 5 p.m.
A motive for the threat is unknown at this time. Wasylyshyn added that there were no court or jury trials scheduled yesterday.
The meeting to certify the results of the March 4 Wood County prosecutor's primary went on as scheduled at 6 p.m.
Wasylyshyn said that he didn't think the threat was related to the certification meeting.
The streets surrounding the courthouse were closed to traffic as authorities searched the premises. They were later re-opened once the all-clear had been given.
Among those in the building at the time was Wood County Commissioner Jim Carter, who helped begin the evacuation of everyone inside the courthouse and county offices.
"We went ahead and set off the fire alarms and cordoned off the area," Carter said. "Everyone's out, and [authorities] are going room to room to verify that there's not a bomb."
Assistant Wood County Prosecutor Heather Baker was in the building when the fire alarms went off. Baker said that she had never seen something like this happen before and was unsure how many people were inside the courthouse complex when the threat was called in.
Assistant Wood County Prosecutor Aram Ohanian was not in the building at the time of the threat, but returned from his daughter's doctors appointment to find himself unable to get in.
"I have a trial tomorrow, so it puts a crimp in my trial preparations," Ohanian said. "At least it was on a nice day."
The Wood County Sheriff's Office is now investigating to find the caller that phoned in the threat.
"We're taking the investigation very seriously," Wasylyshyn said. "We will prosecute them to the fullest extent."
Wasylyshyn also said that the caller who made the threat will not only be charged criminally, but will be charged for all costs related to the search.
Editor-in-Chief Lisa Halverstadt contributed to this article.
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