Student arrested after bomb threat forces evacuation

Herald staff

EVERETT — A Gateway Middle School student was arrested and booked into Denney Juvenile Justice Center Thursday after he allegedly told his school bus driver there was a bomb on the bus.

The comment, made about 7:30 a.m., prompted the evacuation of more than 40 students from the bus as Snohomish County deputies searched for a bomb, sheriff’s spokeswoman Jan Jorgensen said.

No one was hurt. No bomb was found, Jorgensen said.

The other students were brought to school on another bus, just in time to start classes.

The 13-year-old student could face a felony charge of making a bomb threat, Jorgensen said.

The boy also was suspended from school, Everett School District spokeswoman Gay Campbell said.

  • Vehicle impounds: The Washington State Patrol is giving drivers a break of sorts.

    The State Patrol will no longer impound the vehicles of owners who unwittingly loan their vehicles to people who don’t have a driving privilege.

    The State Patrol’s definition of "unwitting" means the owner will get away with it once. After that, the car gets towed.

  • License change: Beginning Sunday, drivers must provide their Social Security number in order to obtain or renew a driver’s license, the Washington Department of Licensing reports.

    The change comes after the U.S. Congress threatened to withhold federal welfare funds from states that did not collect the information, department spokesman Mark Varadian said. In Washington’s case, that amounts to about $500 million, he said.

    The numbers are to be used to aid in the collection of child support and will be available only to law enforcement and to the Department of Social and Health Services, Varadian said.

  • Bear spotted: Residents should keep a close eye on their pets and not leave food outside or the animals might become bear bait.

    A black bear was seen Wednesday in a field in the 7300 block of 180th Street SE, Snohomish County sheriff’s spokeswoman Jan Jorgensen said.

    "There are a lot of domestic animals in the area," she said.

    There was no indication of an immediate threat to animals, but residents should be aware, she said.

    The state Department of Fish and Wildlife has been notified.

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