PORTLAND, Maine — A bomb threat closed one of the state’s busiest transportation centers for more than three hours Tuesday and a man wound up under arrest, according to police.
Rodney Jewell, 44, of Portland allegedly entered the Portland Transportation Center at 6:30 a.m. and stated to a Concord Coach Lines employee that he had two bombs in his backpack, according to Commander Gary Rogers of the Portland Police Department.
The Portland Transportation Center houses both Concord Coach Lines and Amtrak’s Downeaster.
The Concord employee immediately called 911 and started evacuating the building after Jewell made the threats, according to Rogers, and Portland police quickly responded and set up a perimeter around the building.
Police were able to establish contact with Jewell, according to Rogers, and he eventually exited the building and complied with officers’ orders to move away from the backpack.
The department’s hazardous devices unit evaluated the contents of Jewell’s backpack, and no explosives or other hazardous materials were found inside.
Jewell was placed under arrest and charged with terrorizing, false public alarm and refusing to submit to arrest, Rogers said. The Portland Transportation Center was closed for three and a half hours during the incident, forcing the cancellation of three southbound bus departures, he added.
Glad no one was hurt.
Time for a “time out” for the traveler.
And a ” psych evaluation”.
Portland’s first lunatic of 2013! We seem to have picked up right where we left off last year.
I thoughjt It was illegal to have Bombs in Maine… Nobody listens anymore.
Wondering if this is a member of Portlands homeless community that needs a warm place to stay for the rest of the winter. A stay in Cumberland County Jail for the charges, then a stay at Wellspring in Westbrook until he is no longer deemed a threat would do just that.