Man accused of threatening to blow up gas station in north Spokane

Spokane police arrested a man suspected of stealing a van in Cusick, Washington, and then driving to a gas station in north Spokane and threatening to blow it up.

James A. Baggett, 21, allegedly parked the stolen van near a propane tank at the gas station in the 8600 block of North Nevada Street after 2 p.m. on Saturday, according to a police news release. He told store clerks inside the gas station that he had explosives in the van and would “blow the place up” if they didn’t give him cash and cigarettes, the release said.

The clerks blocked Baggett from coming behind the counter, however, and called 911. Baggett left in the van.

He was stopped by Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office deputies who had been looking for the stolen van, the news release said. Spokane police also responded and took Baggett into custody. No explosives were found in the van.

Baggett is being held in the Spokane County Jail on a charge of attempted robbery.