Bomb scare shuts down I-40 rest area

BENTON COUNTY, Tenn. — A Mississippi man will undergo a mental evaluation after telling West Tennessee authorities he had a bomb in his car.

The investigation spurred the shutdown of an I-40 rest stop and hours of searching. Officers from Memphis to Nashville converged on the westbound rest area, located at mile marker 131 in Benton County. They brought bomb sniffing dogs and even a robot to assist in the search.

“The rest stop attendant said the man turned to him and said there’s a bomb in my car,” Benton County Sheriff Kenny Christopher said. “He asked him again and the man repeated there’s a bomb in my car and I’ve got to leave it here.”

Officers said the man eventually ran off and caught a ride with a person on the interstate. They said that driver also became suspicious and eventually flagged down a state trooper.

“A man in a Jeep stopped there on the interstate, got out and told the trooper a man got in his car back at the rest stop and was talking to me about a bomb,” Sheriff Christopher said.

“They checked everything and cleared the area but luckily found nothing,” Christopher said.

Officers said the man was traveling from Indiana to Mississippi and told them he thought people were out to kill him.

“He seemed to be thinking that someone had placed the bomb in his car for him to be injured,” Sheriff Christopher said.

After clearing the scene the man was sent to a Camden General Hospital where he was expected to undergo a mental evaluation.

“I hope the gentleman can get some help,” Christopher said. “He was really in a panic and he truly believed there was a bomb in his car.”

After detaining the man the sheriff’s office said he admitted he was not feeling well and wanted to be taken to the hospital. There’s no word yet on when he’ll be released.

Officials said they don’t expect charges to filed against the man but the Tennessee Highway Patrol continues to investigate.