One arrested following Westport bombing incident
Jun. 11—The Grays Harbor Sheriff's Office is investigating the circumstances around an attempted bombing of a vehicle in Westport that occurred early last Wednesday.
An arrest was made that day during the course of the investigation, said Undersheriff Kevin Schrader.
The incident occurred at around 4:30 a.m. on June 5, near the 1700 block of South Ocosta Street, Schrader said in a phone interview. A 911 caller said she heard a loud noise, but Westport police responding to the call were unable to locate the source, Schrader said.
After 11 a.m. that morning, another caller reported that his pickup truck had been damaged by an explosion, Schrader said. The tailgate and canopy of the truck bed had been blown off, and several windows were shattered, Schrader said.
The sheriff's office requested assistance from the Washington State Patrol's explosive ordnance disposal team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Schrader said. During witness interviews, sheriff's office personnel learned that a local man had claimed to have thrown the bomb, a black powder device, at the truck.
Sheriff's deputies, with assistance from the Aberdeen Police Department, contacted and detained a suspect, 46-year-old Ron M. Brown, at a residence in South Aberdeen.
"We located Brown and arrested him," Schrader said. "We're continuing to investigate the incident and talk to witnesses."
Brown allegedly took exception to another resident becoming involved with a former romantic partner of Brown's, Schrader said, throwing the improvised explosive under the bed of the truck where the victim sometimes sleeps. While the sheriff's office continues to investigate the situation, there is no further threat to the public, Schrader said.
"Not at all," Schrader said. "It's an isolated incident."
Anyone with more information about the incident is asked to contact the sheriff's office, Schrader said.
Contact Senior Reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or michael.lockett@thedailyworld.com.
