Explosive catch: Ottawa County magnet fishers find pipe bomb and a handgun

ROCKY RIDGE ― The Ottawa County Sheriff’s office and the Northwest Ohio Bomb Squad were called in to deal with a pipe bomb and a handgun found by individuals who were magnet fishing around the area of Ohio 590 and Toussaint North Road on Saturday.

The sheriff’s office dispatched deputies to the scene, 2390 N. Ohio 590, who determined that the object did resemble a pipe bomb. They alerted the bomb squad.

Deputies closed Ohio 590 for public safety. The bomb squad confirmed that the object was an explosive device and the Sheriff’s Office said they safely neutralized the item.

"The device was fully intact. The device was vented and rendered safe at the scene without further incident," noted the Toledo Police Department Unusual Incident Report.

No one was injured in the process of disabling the bomb.

Sheriff Stephen Levorchick said the magnet fishers also found a handgun, which has been turned over to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

“People just go down to these ditches and with very strong magnets and see what they can find,” Levorchick said. “These guys got a gun and a pipe bomb. We’re looking at it and making sure it is not stolen or used in a crime.”

Investigations on both items are ongoing.

rlapointe@gannett.com

419-332-2674

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Explosive catch: Ottawa County magnet fishers find pipe bomb and a handgun