Skyway closed Saturday after erroneous bomb threat

CHICO, Calif. — The intersection of Skyway and Bruce Road was closed for about three hours Saturday after a man allegedly reported a bomb inside a vehicle.

Around 6:28 p.m. Saturday, August 4, Chico Police officers responded to the Valero Gas Station at 1199 Skyway for a report of a bomb inside a vehicle.

Before officers got to the scene, the clerk of the Valero Gas Station reported that a man had entered the gas station claiming he had a bomb inside his vehicle, then told the clerk to call the police.

The man then left on foot toward the Skyway and was seen getting onto a B-Line Bus.

Officers located the bus and detained the man without incident.

When officers went back to the Valero, they found a vehicle parked next to a large propane tank. The vehicle's doors, hood and trunk were left open. Officers immediately set a large perimeter around the gas station and began evacuating nearby businesses, and pedestrian and vehicle traffic was diverted from the scene.

Chico Fire, Butte County EMS, and the Butte County Inter-Agency Bomb Squad were called to the scene.

After several hours, members of the Butte County Inter-Agency Bomb Squad approached the vehicle and determined there were no explosives inside.

The scene was rendered safe and the man who reported the incident was admitted to Enloe Hospital on a 72- hour Psychiatric Hold.