MARTINEZ |
A 30-year-old Bellefontaine man has been charged with inducing panic in connection with Wednesday’s evacuation of the Honda Marysville Plant.
Jeffery H. Martinez, of 505 E. Columbus Ave., was taken into custody on Thursday afternoon, Union County Sheriff Jamie Patton reports.
Deputies believe the NEX Transport Inc. employee left a written threat in a restroom stating that a bomb was in the auto plant. It was discovered at about 10:40 a.m. Wednesday.
Honda management considered the threat serious enough to stop production and evacuate the plant, while authorities from Union County, a Franklin County bomb squad and the Ohio State Highway Patrol secured the scene.
There were around 2,000 Honda associates at the plant along with a number of contractors and visitors.
No bomb was located and production resumed at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Mr. Martinez was located and taken into custody at the Marysville campus Thursday afternoon, the sheriff said. He was lodged in the Tri-County Regional Jail and is scheduled to appear in court today.
“This arrest is a result of investigators following up with leads they were able to develop at the plant,” Sheriff Patton said.
Additional charges could be filed by a Union County grand jury.