PORT ANGELES — Residents of a neighborhood cordoned off earlier today because of a possible bomb inside a home were allowed to go back to their homes tonight after State Patrol bomb squad members disposed of the device.
Police have arrested a 51-year-old man in connection with an “improvised explosive device” that caused authorities to cordon off a Port Angeles neighborhood this afternoon and call in a bomb squad.
The State Patrol bomb squad is on the scene in the 300 block of Forest Avenue, where police earlier today discovered what they think might be a pipe bomb while investigating the shooting of Joseph P. “Joey” Ciochon.
Ciochon was arrested by Port Angeles police this afternoon for investigation of intimidation or harassment with an explosive device. Police declined to provide further details. Ciochon was in Clallam County jail.
The 2400-2500 block of South Cherry Street as well as the 300 block of Forest Avenue are closed while State Patrol investigates the situation. The neighborhood remained cordoned off early this evening.
Ciochon rents a house at 309 W. Forest Ave., with two others. One of the others, Frank Surber, 31, told police that his roommate accidentally shot himself in the right leg with a .44-caliber handgun at 9:36 a.m. Ciochon was apparently cleaning the gun.
Surber told the Peninsula Daily News that he rushed downstairs when Ciochon screamed for help; Surber drove him to Olympic Medical Center, where he was treated and released.
Surber said he was surprised to hear that police later found what appears to be a pipe bomb in the house. He also said he knows little about Ciochon and was surprised to learn about any explosives in the house.
A Port Angeles police detective told the PDN tonight that the 300 block of Forest Avenue is still closed to vehicular traffic as investigators go through the house.
