By Pepper Fisher

PORT ANGELES – A major backup and rerouting of traffic Monday on E. First Street was due to a potential bomb scare. A State Patrol Bomb Squad determined that the item was not an actual explosive but was designed to look like one.

PAPD Detective Sgt. Kori Malone told KONP that an arrest has been made of a suspect. Malone says an officer was originally called to the empty lot outside of Edna’s Place in the 1000 Block of First Street for a man who was illegally camping on the property.

When the officer approached the tent, the man ran away, crossing traffic, and the officer decided it was safer not to pursue. The officer went to leave a message for the suspect to advise him that he was trespassing and direct him local services, noticed the suspicious device, and called it in.

That shut down the entire block of First Street between Washington and Chambers around noon and traffic was rerouted as they waited for the Bomb Squad to arrive.

John Spradlin was later arrested on a separate warrant of Failing to Register as a Sex Offender, but Sgt. Malone says they’re considering a charge of Malicious Placement of an Imitation Device, meaning something designed to look like an explosive.

Traffic was opened up again around 3:00.

(Photo submitted by Sgt. Kori Malone of PAPD)