On Feb. 6, 2016, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant at a home in the 5100 block of La Pinta Drive. The home belonged to Dwaine Powell, a 55-year-old Bakersfield, California resident. Powell is a person of interest in a false bomb threat that was called into Bolthouse Farms Industrial Complex, located on Brundage Lane, causing 1,300 employees to be evacuated Friday afternoon.

Powell was taken into custody without any issues and booked at the Central Receiving Facility on the charge of calling in a false bomb report. According to Steve Williams, a Kern County Senior Sheriff’s Deputy, the police department in Bakersfield took a call Friday from a male adult, who stated he placed three bombs throughout the Bolthouse Farms Complex.

Multiple agencies, including the Bakersfield Police Department and Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, and the Kern County Fire Department all responded to the 911 report, immediately after the call was concluded. The director of safety for Bolthouse Farms, Charles Daniels, stated the company evacuation was run as a precautionary measure.

According to Williams, the call came from a blocked number. Therefore, it would be some time before the complex would be secured. He stated it would take “many hours to clear” the scene.

This investigation is currently ongoing. Anyone who has any information that could be helpful in bringing this investigation to a close is encouraged to call the Kern County Sheriff’s Office immediately. 661.861.3110

Headliners Today will provide updates as they are made available.

By Jeanette Smith

Sources:

Bakersfield.Now: Police search for explosive devices at Bolthouse Farms
Nixle: Arrest made in Bolthouse Farms bomb threat
Image Courtesy of Richard Bauer’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License