Man charged with bomb threat in Mercer

SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR

MERCER, Pa. — A Hermitage man is facing three felony charges over a bomb threat at the Mercer County Courthouse.

The courthouse was evacuated Wednesday after the threat was called in at 3 p.m., said Jeffrey W. Greenburg, public information officer for Mercer County. It reopened for business Thursday morning.

Ronald E. Garrett, 61, of Biscayne Drive, was arraigned Thursday morning before District Judge Lorinda Hinch on charges of threats to use weapons of mass destruction, terrorist threats and criminal use of a communication device.

A preliminary hearing was set for him at 11 a.m. July 18. He was taken to Mercer County Jail after failing to post $50,000 bond.

Garrett had been in police custody since about 4 p.m. Wednesday, an hour after the threat was called in to the Veterans Affairs office. Authorities traced the call to his cell phone, Greenburg said.