CRAWFORD COUNTY, Ill. (WTWO/WAWV) — The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office has released more information on the bomb squad that responded to a home south of Palestine, Illinois, after officials said they found a “suspicious item.”
WTWO/WAWV previously reported on October 31, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Illinois State Police Bomb Squad to assist with a suspicious item while serving a warrant in Crawford County.
The sheriff’s office said that while doing a sex offender compliance check in the county, one of the offenders, Leslie Friedrick, had an outstanding warrant for failure to report to a penal institution.
While police responded to the home, Friedrick allegedly barricaded himself in a bedroom inside the home to avoid being taken into custody.
Deputies were then able to enter the home using “special equipment” and take Friedrick into custody. A search warrant for the home was then given to deputies.
“After executing a search warrant, deputies located a suspected homemade bomb and equipment used in making the bomb, suspected drugs, and drug paraphernalia,” said the sheriff’s office.
After finding the “homemade bomb” the sheriff’s office requested assistance from the Illinois Secretary of State Police Bomb Squad.
“The Bomb Squad advised that the bomb was not a public threat at this time,” said the sheriff’s office.
Friedrick was taken into custody for failure to appear to a penal institution, aggravated battery on a peace officer, five counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer, three counts of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, three counts of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful possession of explosive/explosives or incendiary devices, unlawful possession of methamphetamine and resisting a peace officer.
