RAINIER, Ore. — A man was arrested Monday after bomb technicians removed two backpacks that were dangling from the Lewis & Clark Bridge.
The suspect, 61-year-old Samuel Abram Owen, from Rainer, is being held at the Columbia County Jail on charges of first-degree disorderly conduct, second-degree theft, third-degree criminal mischief, felon in possession of a restricted weapon and possession of methamphetamine.
Police say Owen hung the bags from the bridge because of a dispute with another person and there is no threat to the public.
At about 10:20 a.m., Oregon State Police responded to a report of a suspicious item hanging from the bridge. When they arrived, they saw two backpacks hanging from a rope tied to the bridge railing. The bags were hanging about 30 feet above Dike Road.
Police closed the bridge and the Coast Guard restricted river traffic for about four hours while bomb technicians conducted an investigation.
Using a remote robot, the bomb squad took an X-ray of the bags. The contents of the bag were inconclusive, so the remote robot used a high-pressure water cannon to open the bags. Inside the bags were clothing and other personal property.
The bridge was reopened at around 2:30 p.m. after the Washington State Department of Transportation declared the bridge safe.
The Lewis & Clark Bridge connects Rainer, Oregon and Longview, Washington.