An Arkansas man named Lawrence Hickman has been taken into custody after allegedly being discovered in possession of six live bombs, leading to a $1 million bond. Authorities uncovered his plans to escape the country ahead of an impending trial in Texas.
In a concerning turn of events, Lawrence Hickman, a 52-year-old man residing in Bella Vista, Arkansas, has been arrested on charges of possessing six live bombs and attempting to evade trial in Texas. Reports from FOX 24 in Rogers, Arkansas, shed light on the alarming situation.
The chain of events unfolded when the Bella Vista Police Department received a distress call on December 9 from a woman accusing Hickman of harassment. Upon reaching Hickman's residence, officers were informed by the woman that she had discovered a bottle of chloroform in a dresser drawer. Even more unsettling, she claimed there were pipe bombs in a plastic bag within Hickman's home on Bishampton Lane.
Upon further investigation, bomb squad technicians confirmed the live status of the discovered devices after X-raying them. In response to the potential danger, neighbors in the vicinity were promptly evacuated as a safety precaution.
Hickman, however, was not present at his residence, leaving authorities in a race against time to locate him. Information gathered from a neighbor suggested Hickman's ambitious plans of kayaking to the Philippines, where his wife resides, with intentions to subsequently travel to Alaska and through the Bering Sea.
Allegedly, the neighbor disclosed that Hickman intended to use the pipe bombs for sharks and pirates, adding a bizarre detail about possessing alcohol for Russians. The situation took a turn on December 13 when law enforcement apprehended Hickman at a pier in Pacific County, Washington. He was found in possession of two, an AR-style rifle, a pistol, a bolt-action rifle, a compound bow, ammunition, black powder, a laptop, SD cards, and a USB drive.
Detectives suspect that Hickman was attempting to flee the United States to avoid an upcoming trial in Texas. As a result, he now faces six counts of criminal possession of explosive material or destructive devices, with a $1 million bond set against him. Hickman is scheduled to appear in court on January 8, 2023.
The community is left in shock and concern over the gravity of the situation, as authorities continue to investigate the motives behind Hickman's possession of dangerous explosives. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the vigilance required to ensure public safety in unsuspecting neighborhoods.
