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Davenport, FL - A routine crash investigation at a Davenport Publix quickly turned into a hazardous materials response after a driver allegedly claimed his truck contained a dirty bomb.
According to the Haines City Police Department, officers were called to the Publix on Highway 27 after reports of a collision involving a silver Chevrolet Silverado.
Police said they contacted the driver, identified as 43-year-old Benjamin Donald Johnson, who allegedly refused to exit the vehicle and was physically removed.
Once Johnson was detained, an officer reported hearing him mention a dirty bomb inside the truck.
Police then located a locked yellow container in the vehicle marked with a radiation warning symbol.
The discovery prompted officers to close nearby roads, evacuate the surrounding area, and request assistance from specialized agencies.
A fire investigator conducted an initial scan and detected positive radioactivity coming from the container.
Police said early indications suggest the object was a moisture density gauge, commonly used in soil testing and known to emit low-level radiation.
The device was secured for further testing.
According to investigators, additional items were found in the truck, including firearms, ammunition, thermal scopes, knives, night vision goggles, a battering ram, cannabis, and THC edibles.
A bomb technician from the FBI responded along with personnel from the Bureau of Fire, Arson and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and ATF.
Johnson was booked into the Polk County Jail on charges that include hoax weapon of mass destruction, false report concerning a bomb, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, and resisting officers without violence.
Police said Johnson stated he had been living in his vehicle with his dog, which was placed in the care of Animal Control.
