Man charged with having hoax bomb as weapons recovered in PSL traffic stop, residents evacuated
PORT ST. LUCIE — A 21-year-old man was arrested on charges including possession of a hoax bomb after police reported he was in a vehicle wearing a “tactical vest” with firearms nearby, according to an affidavit released Monday.
The incident began shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday as officers went to a report of a vehicle crash in the 1000 block of Southeast Prineville Street, which is near the intersection with Southeast Crosspoint Drive.
On Southeast Crosspoint Drive, police saw a Scion with a damaged bumper leaving, and conducted a traffic stop.
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Police reported the driver, identified as Johann Maximus Robey, of Port St. Lucie, wore a “tactical vest” with firearm magazines in it. An AR-15 type rifle was on the passenger seat, and police also reported removing a 9mm handgun from a holster on Robey’s waist. A second handgun was in the center console.
Police evacuated at least some residents and called the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office’s bomb squad after a bag with what looked to be “two bricks of C-4 explosives with some wiring entangled in them” turned up in a backpack in the vehicle, an affidavit states.
Police stated the FBI came to the scene and reported initial testing of the C-4, sometimes referred to as plastic explosives, determined it wasn’t explosive.
Robey did not have a concealed weapon permit, police stated.
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Assistant Chief Richard Del Toro of the Port St. Lucie police said seven more devices were found, which the bomb squad took.
“It's very bizarre,” Del Toro said. “For someone to be involved in an accident, the officer walks up to see someone dressed like this with access to that many firearms, and a fake explosive-type device. It's alarming.”
Sheriff Ken Mascara said seven large smoke bombs, which were not explosive devices, were recovered. He said the bomb squad disposed of them.
Del Toro said Robey was on leave from the U.S. Army visiting his parents.
In terms of what Robey told investigators, Del Toro said he was "very non committal with what he wanted to do, kind of stringing us along.”
“We have a ton of follow up to do on this case, as you can imagine, from speaking to different people that have had recent contact with him to see ... what his behavior has been, what his record is with the military,” Del Toro said.
Robey was arrested on three counts carrying concealed weapon, a single count of possession of a hoax bomb and two counts of escape, an affidavit states.
He was held Monday in the St. Lucie County jail on $130,000 bond, according to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on Twitter @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com
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This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Port St. Lucie traffic stop: Bomb squad called in
