GREENVILLE COUNTY, SC — A big rig driver is facing numerous charges after he allegedly told law enforcement during a traffic stop in Interstate 85 that he had an explosive device inside his truck. The incident shut down I-85 for nearly five hours on Thursday.
The incident occurred around 2:45 p.m. in Greenville County, South Carolina according to a release from the South Carolina State Patrol.
SCSP said the reason for the traffic stop was a missing license plate on the truck that is registered to Globe Transport.
When the driver, identified as Ahmad Jamal Khamees Alhendi, 28, of Oak Lawn, Illinois, indicated that there was an explosive device inside the commercial vehicle, all six lanes of I-85 were subsequently shut down as the threat was investigated by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, SLED, and the FBI.
The tractor-trailer was cleared and all lanes of I-85 were reopened at approximately 7:40 p.m. on Thursday evening.
Alhendi was taken into custody at Greenville County Detention Center and is charged with the following:
- Breach of peace of a high and aggravated nature:
- Conveying false information about a bomb threat:
- Operating/permitting an unregistered vehicle
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
