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Man arrested for starting bomb hoax in Rimrock store

Siren Generic
Posted at 7:16 AM, Jul 26, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-26 10:16:16-04

PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) - A Rimrock man has been arrested after authorities say he falsely reported a bomb sighting outside a Dollar Store.

Yavapai County sheriff's officials said Thursday that 38-year-old James Nicholson remains jailed on suspicion of false reporting. He also faces a count of threatening in reckless disregard to cause public inconvenience and evacuation of a building.

Deputies say Nicholson showed up at the store around 5 a.m. Wednesday and told an employee a bomb was in the back. He then left on a bicycle.

The employee later found a metal box and called authorities.

The store was evacuated. A bomb squad found a snake and a small ax in the box.

Deputies later located Nicholson, who said he had mentioned a snake - not a bomb - was in the box.