PORT ANGELES — A 40-year-old man accused of threatening to detonate bombs at three Port Angeles-area shopping centers was formally charged in Clallam County Superior Court on Wednesday.
Johannes Laurence Helgeson IV, of Port Angeles, is charged with one count of threats to bomb or injure property, a Class B felony, after he allegedly placed a 9-1-1 call warning that explosives were set to go off at the two Port Angeles Safeway stores and the Port Angeles Wal-Mart.
No explosives were found.
Helgeson, who also goes by the name of Johannes L. Atterberry, will be arraigned Wednesday.
According to arresting documents, Helgeson placed the 9-1-1 call from his residence west of Port Angeles on Sunday using an pre-recorded message.
The message said he was an Aryan extremist who had planted six explosive devices at the Safeway stores at 110 E. Third St. and 2709 E. U.S. Highway 101 and at the Port Angeles Wal-Mart at 3500 E. U.S. Highway 101 within the past week, court papers say.
The pre-recorded statement claimed the explosives were set to go off in one hour or if they were tampered with.
The message also said his friends would set off the explosives remotely if they were discovered, charging papers say.
Admitted to making call
Helgeson admitted to placing the 9-1-1 call when contacted Sunday by a Clallam County deputy and Port Angeles police officer.
He was booked into the Clallam County jail, where he remained in custody Wednesday evening.
Clallam County Superior Court Judge S. Brooke Taylor set bail at $5,000 in Helgeson’s first court appearance Monday.
Taylor also ordered Helgeson to undergo a mental health assessment. Superior Court Judge Ken Williams said Wednesday the evaluation report had been filed, but the contents were not available.
Helgeson’s mother told police she would not be comfortable if Helgeson were released back into her home without his medication.
The maximum punishment for threats to bomb or injure property is 10 years in jail and a $20,000 fine.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
