One in Custody Facing Felony Charges After Bomb Threat at Chelan County Court
One person is in custody after a bomb threat led to an evacuation of the Chelan County government campus Wednesday afternoon.
The evacuation lasted well passed the 5 pm closing time for the government offices before a search team with a K-9 concluded there were no suspicious items or packages.
The bomb threat was tracked to a phone and address in East Wenatchee.
Officers were sent to the address, where they arrested the suspect who was later booked into jail on Class D felony charges.
Wenatchee Police Capt. Edgar Reinfeld said the crime ranked as a felony because the threat was made against a government building.
The suspect allegedly called the Chelan County Superior court at about 1:40 pm and told a court clerk there was a bomb in the court building.
Responders quickly took action as an evacuation of the Chelan County government campus took place.
Wenatchee Police along with Chelan County Fire District 1, Douglas County Fire District 2 and Ballard Ambulance came to the scene. The Government campus area was largely closed off, and access to Memorial Park was prohibited.
The threatening call came to a phone with caller ID, and officers were able to track the number to an address in East Wenatchee where the call was made from.
The county jail was partially evacuated, as inmates on the 4th floor directly below the superior court, were taken across the street to the juvenile center.
Regional Justice Center Director Chris Sharp ordered the inmates be returned to the jail after a search for any suspicious items anywhere in and around the buildings came up empty.
A Police K-9 from an out of area agency arrived between 4:30 and 5:00 pm. An "all clear" was called about 40 minutes later, according to Capt. Reinfeld.
He estimated the entire incident was wrapped up by about 6:30 pm.
The Washington State Patrol was also involved in managing the bomb threat.