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Borough Resident Arrested With Pipe Bomb
Man Claimed He Was Going To Blow Self Up
LAKEHURST - Lakehurst Police recently defused what could have been an explosive situation.
On June 20 at 11:35 a.m., Officer Chris Gibson of the Lakehurst Police Department was dispatched to a Manapaqua Avenue residence for a report of a man - Gary Allen Smith, 53, Lakehurst - with a bomb.
Upon arrival to the scene, a relative of Smith came to the door holding what appeared to be a pipe bomb in his hand. Officer Gibson advised the subject to place the object on the front lawn, where it remained until the arrival of the New Jersey State Police Bomb Squad.
The relative, apparently Smith's brother, advised that Smith fled the residence on a bike when police were called to the scene. A perimeter was set up and the occupants of the residence, along with several nearby neighbors, were evacuated as a precaution until the arrival of the State Police.
Smith was located at a nearby Burger King, was taken into custody by Officer Gibson without incident and was brought back to the residence.
Smith told Officer Gibson and Sgt. Ronald Heinzman, Lakehurst Police Department, that he made the bomb in his basement bedroom so he could later detonate it on himself at a nearby lake.
The pipe bomb was defused by the bomb unit and was later transported to the Hamilton State Police Barracks for testing.
Smith was taken to the Lakehurst Police Department, where he was processed and charged by Sgt. Heinzman with Possession of a Destructive Device, Certain Persons Not to Possession Weapons and Manufacture of Weapons. Bail was set at $25,000, with no 10 percent by the Honorable Judge Brant Collins.
Smith was taken to Kimball Medical Center's Psychiatric Unit for evaluation until later transport to the Ocean County Jail in lieu of bail.
Assisting at the scene were Lakehurst Officers Brian Baranyay, Jeffrey Emmons, Det. Sgt. Dwayne Jones, NJ State Police Bomb Unit, Det. Michael Haws, NJ State Police Bomb Unit, Ocean County Sheriff's Department, Sgt. John Studsky of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, Lakehurst Volunteer Fire and Lakehurst Navy fire departments, Quality Medical Transport and the Manchester Twp. Police Department.
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