Bomb Squad Responds to Dynamite but Finds Deception

Poe Springs Road in High Springs was shut down nearly all day yesterday due to someone placing a bundle of dynamite sticks in the road, which turned out to be fake.

According to a press release by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), they activated their bomb squad “based on the initial assessment that the item could be an explosive device.”

The press release states ACSO Bomb Squad members “utilized specialized robots and equipment to assess the item and determine how to safely destroy it. This process took several hours and caused a significant disruption to travel along NW 182nd Avenue.”

Lacking certainty on if the dynamite was real, the ACSO Bomb Squad treated the device as if it were an actual explosive. “After the device was safely destroyed, it was determined that the device was a hoax,” the press release states.

ACSO does not know how long the fake dynamite was on the road or who put it there.