Arkansas man arrested for allegedly having 6 homemade bombs; held on $1 million bond
A Bella Vista, Arkansas, man was arrested and held on $1 million bond after he was allegedly found to be in possession of six live bombs and planned to flee the country to avoid trial in Texas, according to reports.
FOX 24 in Rogers, Arkansas reported that court documents say a woman called the Bella Vista Police Department on Dec. 9 to say 52-year-old Lawrence Hickman was harassing her.
When officers arrived at Hickman’s residence, they met with the woman who said she had found a bottle of chloroform in a dresser drawer.
She also allegedly told police there were pipe bombs in a plastic bag in Hickman’s home on Bishampton Lane.
After X-raying the bombs, the affidavit noted, the bombs were found to be live.
Neighbors were reportedly evacuated from their residences after the Bentonville Bomb Squad was contacted about the situation.
Hickman, police said, was not at the home and the woman said she was not sure where he was.
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One neighbor who officers spoke with said Hickman aspired to kayak to the Philippines, where his wife is, and plans to travel to Alaska and through the Bering Sea.
The neighbor also allegedly said the pipe bombs were for sharks and pirates, while he also possessed booze for Russians, the station reported court documents as noting.
On Dec. 13, police apprehended Hickman at a pier with two inflatable kayaks in Pacific County, Washington.
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Court documents state Hickman was in possession of an AR-style rifle, pistol, bolt-action rifle, compound bow, ammunition, black powder, a laptop, SD cards and a USB drive.
Detectives suggest Hickman was attempting to flee the U.S. to avoid an upcoming trial in Texas.
Hickman has been charged with six counts of criminal possession of explosive material or destructive device and has been ordered held on $1 million bond.
He is due back in court on Jan. 8.