PALM COAST, Fla. -- Deputies with the Flagler County Sheriff's Office arrested a 43-year-old man after they say he posted a threat on Facebook.
Benjamin Perrine was arrested early Wednesday morning after he posted a threat on Facebook saying he was going to blow up his neighborhood and Buddy Taylor Middle School, according to a news release from Flagler County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Debra Johnson.
Johnson said deputies arrested Perrine at his home at 12:13 Wednesday morning.
"We responded quickly to this threat. Deputies were at the man's house within minutes of being notified. The house was thoroughly searched and no explosives were found," said Flagler Sheriff Donald W. Fleming.
The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office sent a bomb sniffing dog to Buddy Taylor Middle School at the sheriff's request. Police sent the dog as a precautionary measure.
Johnson said the Sheriff's Communications Center received a call saying Perrine posted he had C-4, a plastic explosive, and had plans to blow up his neighborhood and the school. When deputies arrived at the man's home, Johnson said he was found unresponsive. Police made entry to Perrine's home after they tried several times to make contact with him.
Johnson said deputies reported seeing a man inside, sitting slouched on his couch with his feet on a table and his eyes closed.
To check on Perrine, deputies went through an unlocked rear door. Perrine finally woke up after several attempts to wake him. When he did wake up, Johnson said he became hostile with deputies.
Johnson said Perrine told deputies he was upset because his dog was missing and he thought someone killed it. He told police he didn't care about any of his neighbors. Johnson said Perrine also stated he was tired of having law enforcement called to his residence for noise complaints.
When deputies searched Perrine's home, Johnson said they found no explosives.
Perrine is being held at the Flagler County Inmate Facility on a charge of a false report of planting a bomb.
First Coast News