CLEARLAKE – A makeshift bomb was located in a Clearlake mobile home park early Friday morning. The bomb was found underneath a trailer at Ponderosa Mobile Home Park on Old Highway 53 and detonated without incident.
According to a report prepared by Sgt. Mike Hermann, of the Clearlake Police Department, someone had tried to ignite the bomb; however, the resident of the trailer had apparently spotted the flames from the “fuse” and put it out before the bomb could go off.
Donald Ferris, 47, of Clearlake, was determined to be a person of interest and was later arrested for parole violations. According to Sgt. Hermann”s report, Ferris is a registered arsonist and is currently on parole.
Ferris was reportedly found to be in possession of items consistent with the device that was located under the trailer. The items that had been in Ferris” possession have been forwarded to the Department of Justice for analysis. Further information regarding the items allegedly found in Ferris” possession is not releasable as it may hinder the investigation, which Sgt. Hermann reported will be continuing.
Response rendered by CPD officers and Lake County Fire Protection District personnel was dispatched around 12:43 a.m.; officers reportedly remained on scene throughout most of the night. “They were out there at least four to five hours,” Sgt. Hermann said.
Sgt. Hermann reported that a portion of the trailer park was evacuated while other residents outside the immediate area were advised to remain inside their homes.
The area was reportedly sealed off until members of the Napa County Bomb Squad arrived on scene. Sgt. Hermann said that there is no local bomb squad. “Normally we use the Department of Justice or other agencies, but this time we called Napa,” he said. “Sometimes we use Sacramento; Napa is the closest.”
Following the arrival of the bomb squad, the device was reportedly moved to a safe area within the mobile home park and detonated without further incident.
Similar devices have been found in the Clearlake area in the past. “In the past we have had a history of finding items such as pipe bombs and things of that nature,” Sgt. Hermann reported. “It is no usual but it”s not real common either.”
