PORT ANGELES — For Joseph P. “Joey” Ciochon, Tuesday started badly and only got worse.
The 51-year-old man began the day by accidentally shooting himself in the right leg and ended it behind bars after police found a possible pipe bomb in his home at 309 W. Forest Ave.
He shot himself shortly after 9:30 a.m. while cleaning a .44-caliber handgun, said Frank Surber, one of Ciochon’s roommates.
The bullet went through his leg, Surber said.
Police Chief Terry Gallagher said Ciochon was arrested for investigation of intimidation or harassment with an explosive device after being treated for the wound at Olympic Medical Center and discharged.
Ciochon remained in custody in the Clallam County jail Tuesday night.
Adjacent homes were evacuated at about 12:30 p.m., while the State Patrol bomb squad was called to dispose of what “appeared to be an improvised explosive device,” said Port Angeles Detective Jason Viada.
At the same time, police blocked road access to the 2400-2500 block of South Cherry Street as well as the 300 block of Forest Avenue.
By 9 p.m., the bomb squad had “disrupted” the device, Viada said, and neighbors were allowed to return to their homes, but they could not drive on the 300 block of Forest Avenue because of equipment blocking the roadway.
Detective were in the house continuing to investigate, Viada said.
Surber, 31, said he knew nothing about the explosive device and appeared surprised by the news.
“I didn’t know anything about that,” he said.
“I just moved in a month ago.”
Surber said he was sleeping in his room upstairs from Ciochon at the time of the gunshot.
“It woke me up,” he said. “I was sound asleep.”
Surber, who drove Ciochon to the hospital, said he found his roommate downstairs “hobbling around” and screaming for help.
“What a way to wake up,” he added.
Gallagher said that Ciochon told police that he shot himself.
Gallagher said police were told of the pipe bomb by a “witness” of the shooting before the house was searched.
He said the search warrant was for investigating the shooting and the claim that there was an explosive device inside.
Surber said one other person lives at the house.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
