Suspicious device found inside vehicle in Fresno. Police close off road just off Hwy. 99
Fresno Police were investigating a suspicious device found inside a vehicle at the Taco Bell parking lot near Roeding Park.
Fresno Police Lt. Israel Reyes said at 9:18 p.m., an officer noticed a dark-colored sedan traveling eastbound on Olive Avenue from Highway 99. The officer got behind the vehicle and turned on the lights to pull them over for a traffic violation.
When the officer approached the vehicle, two people exited the vehicle and were “acting kind of suspicious” and indicated something in the vehicle that didn’t belong to them and belonged to their friend. The passengers didn’t provide information and officers were allowed to search the vehicle.
“When the officers were in the back seat looking through some bags, a device that appeared to resemble a pipe bomb was discovered in the back seat of the dark-colored vehicle,” Reyes said.
Police evacuated the Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, Chevron and a motel on Olive Avenue between Roeding Park and Highway 99.
Reyes said the suspicious device turned out to be batteries.
Taco Bell, Jack in the Box and Chevron were closed during the investigation.
Eastbound and westbound Olive was expected to be closed for at least the next two hours, Reyes said.
This story was originally published March 16, 2023 at 10:25 PM.
