Clinic Site Of Second Bomb Scare In 5 Months

For the second time in six months, a man has apparently brought potentially explosive devices to a health center near Kootenai Medical Center, police say.

Although authorities would not release the name of the man involved in the two incidents, sources confirmed that John Weldon Jr., 25, is being held in protective custody in connection with the most recent incident.

Weldon arrived at the W. George Moody Health Center on Ironwood Court to visit with a counselor March 14, according to a Coeur d’Alene police report. During the visit, the counselor noticed what he thought were the makings of a pipe bomb in a bag of Weldon’s.

A piece of steel pipe, electric wiring and a quart of gunpowder were among the items the counselor saw, according to the report.

Last October, Weldon walked into the same building wearing a wig and bulletproof vest and carrying a handgun, according to police.

Spokane bomb experts found a cache of six bombs and numerous handguns inside Weldon’s van in the parking lot.

Weldon was checked into Kootenai Medical Center’s psychiatric ward. No one was injured and the bombs were safely detonated.

Because of Weldon’s mental illness, a judge then committed him to the Department of Health and Welfare. Weldon was sent to the state mental hospital in Blackfoot.

Officials with both the Coeur d’Alene Police Department and Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office said they were not aware that Weldon had been released from the mental hospital until last week’s incident.

Capt. Carl Bergh also said no one reported the most recent incident to the police department until two days after it happened.

Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas said Idaho law allows a mentally ill person to be committed to the state’s care for a period not to exceed three years.

However, the judge does not have the power to determine how long the person will stay in a mental health facility. Department of Health and Welfare officials make that decision.

“The objective is to treat the mental illness and establish a course of treatment that can be maintained on an outpatient basis,” said Jo Gussenhoven, director of Region I Mental Health Services. “The ultimate goal is to then return them to the community safely.”

Gussenhoven said privacy requirements prohibit her from discussing Weldon’s case or when he was released from the hospital.

She insisted that in dangerous incidents such as last week’s, the appropriate authorities are notified. However, she said she could not comment on why police did not know about the incident until two days later.

Because police were not notified, Capt. Bergh said officers have not been able to find the bomb makings the counselor said he saw.

Weldon is currently being held in a secure medical facility pending another evaluation, Douglas said.

But the prosecutor said it is unlikely he will be able to file criminal charges in either incident.

Although it is a misdemeanor crime to carry gunpowder within city limits, Idaho law does not prohibit the possession, manufacture or transport of explosive devices, Douglas said.

However, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is conducting an investigation, said Bob Harper, ATF agent in charge in Spokane.

“A lot of the states, unless they have several bombing incidents, they don’t have real strict laws pertaining to bombs,” he said.

Harper said it is against federal laws to “possess destructive devices.” The ATF will forward its investigation to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Boise for possible federal charges. If convicted, Weldon could face up to 10 years in prison.