Staff Reporter

staffreporter@alltel.net

A bomb scare at the Hazard Police Department had High Street blocked off and the Hazardous Devices Unit of the Kentucky State Police called in to diffuse the situation. Hazard Police officers became aware of a possible situation concerning an explosive device after an arrest was made Thursday afternoon at the Combs Motel.

According to police, at approximately 10:09 a.m. Thursday morning, the Hazard Police Department received a call reporting a suspicious acting subject had made statements that he was going to blow up the Hazard Police Department and kill all of the officers.

Upon arrival, Lieutenant Darian Williams and Sergeant Joe Engle located a man who was later identified as Chris Jones, age 52 of South Bend, Indiana, standing in front of Morty's Restaurant on North Main Street with two duffel bags at his feet. Sgt. Engle said that when Jones was ordered to get down on the ground, he made a move towards one of the duffel bags as the officers approached, trying to reach inside of the bag. Officers continued to order Jones down when he reportedly reached into his pocket, prompting Lt. Williams to use his taser on Jones.

Engle said officers searched through the bags for weapons, not initially concerned about explosives. He additionally commented last week that once Jones and the two duffel bags were transported to the Hazard Police Department, police began a background check into Jones's past, at which time it was found out that he had a possible history of using explosive charges, prompting officers to become concerned about the possibility of a bomb.

An explosives detection dog from the Hazard Fire Department was called to the station and alerted to one of the bags, indicating that explosive materials are or have been stored in the bag. Upon alert, the police department contacted the Hazardous Devices Unit and blocked off a portion of High Street. Two technicians from the KSP unit responded, and eventually created a small explosion in a vacant parking lot near the department to dispose of the bag.

Engle noted that there was no explosive material found in the bag.

Chris Jones was arrested and charged with terroristic threatening third-degree and disorderly conduct and lodged in the Kentucky River Regional Jail.