Bond Set At $37K For Man At Center Of Friday's Bomb Scare
MIAMI (CBS4) - The man at the center of a bomb scare on Friday, which created a traffic snarl on the Palmetto Expressway for hours, appeared in bond court on Sunday.
During the hearing, bond was set at $37, 500 for Lee Lewis, 28, who has been charged with possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance (meth) and possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use and driving with a suspended license.
Despite his attorney's insistence that he not speak, Lewis told the court he broke down on Friday and went to get help. When he returned he found his car surrounded by police.
"I was there talking with the cops," said Lewis, " I'm suing everyone."
On Saturday he claims he turned himself in to police after learning they were looking for him.
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Martin Shapiro also ordered that Lewis undergo a mental health evaluation.
The incident unfolded Friday afternoon when witnesses reportedly saw a man leaved a hearse parked under an overpass at 27th Avenue with what was believed to be a suspicious package, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald. The unoccupied silver hearse was registered to Lewis.
State Road 826 was closed to traffic in both directions from NW 17th to 37th Avenues for six hours Friday afternoon and into the evening as police investigated the possible bomb threat.
Miami Gardens Police chief Matthew Boyd told the paper the car was filled with a fake arsenal of automatic weapons, ammunition and rocket launcher. Boyd said "they were good replicas." When officers saw all the weapons in the car, they called for a bomb squad.
One item, also possibly fake, was turned over to federal authorities. No explosives were found.
Lewis was taken into custody Saturday afternoon.
Jail records show Lewis recently served a year and a half in a Miami-Dade prison on grand theft and drug charges. He was released in 2008, according to the Miami Herald.
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