Law enforcement officers face split-second decisions that can mean life or death.
One wrong call and innocent people pay the price.
And two words from one Florida man just triggered a massive FBI response that shut down an entire area.
Routine crash spirals into bomb scare
Late Friday night, officers from the Haines City Police Department responded to a vehicle crash at a Publix grocery store in Davenport, Florida.
What started as a standard traffic accident turned into something far more serious when they made contact with the driver.
Benjamin Donald Johnson, 43, refused multiple commands to exit his Chevrolet Silverado.¹
Officers had to physically remove Johnson from the vehicle.
That's when they spotted multiple firearms in plain view inside the truck.
But things were about to get much worse.
While Johnson sat detained in the back of a patrol car, an officer overheard him make a chilling statement.
Johnson said he had a "dirty bomb" in his truck.¹
https://twitter.com/Independent/status/1997463328524780020?s=20
Those two words changed everything.
Multi-agency response shuts down roadways
Officers immediately located a yellow plastic container secured with chains and locks.
The container displayed a radioactive warning label.¹
Police backed away to a safe distance, shut down nearby roadways, and called for backup.
The Bureau of Fire, Arson, and Explosives arrived on scene first.
A Florida State Fire Investigator conducted an initial scan of the container.
The device was emitting positive radioactivity.¹
That's when things escalated fast.
The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and an FBI bomb technician all converged on the scene.¹
Roads remained closed for hours while investigators worked to determine what Johnson actually had in his possession.
The massive response was warranted given the threat.
Since 9/11, any hint of radioactive explosives triggers maximum response from federal law enforcement.
They've seen what happens when you guess wrong about these threats.
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The FBI just spent five years tracking down the January 6 pipe bomber.⁴
ISIS plotters in Michigan were planning Halloween attacks with assault rifles.⁵
Manhattan saw IEDs planted on subway tracks just months ago.⁵
Every bomb threat gets treated as real until proven otherwise.
What Johnson actually had
Bomb technicians finally determined what was inside that yellow container.
It was a Moisture Density Gauge — a device commonly used for soil testing.¹
The gauge contained less radioactivity than a standard medical X-ray.¹
But the nightmare wasn't over for Johnson once investigators confirmed he didn't have an actual dirty bomb.
Police conducted a thorough search of his truck.
They found an arsenal of weapons and tactical gear including multiple firearms, ammunition, magazine speed loaders, thermal scopes, night vision goggles, a battering ram, knives, marijuana, and THC-laced edibles.¹
Johnson told officers he was in the area for work and had been living out of his vehicle with his dog.¹
Animal control took custody of the dog.
https://twitter.com/theblaze/status/1998150886334550401?s=20
Johnson faces serious charges
Johnson was arrested and booked into Polk County Jail.
He faces charges of hoax weapon of mass destruction, false report concerning a bomb or explosive, resisting an officer without violence, unlawful possession of cannabis resin, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and use of a firearm under the influence of alcohol.¹
Under Florida law, possession of a hoax weapon of mass destruction is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.³
The charge exists precisely because false claims about weapons of mass destruction cause massive disruption and panic.
Johnson's previous criminal history revealed he had been arrested for marijuana possession in Tennessee.¹
The case remains under investigation, particularly regarding the weapons recovered from Johnson's vehicle.
Police didn't reveal what "work" Johnson claimed to be doing that required living out of his truck armed with thermal scopes, night vision goggles, and a battering ram.
Those items suggest something far more serious than routine employment.
The Florida Bureau of Radioactive Materials will conduct further inspection of the container to ensure it poses no threat.¹
Law enforcement took Johnson's claim seriously because they had no choice.
The FBI just arrested a suspect last week in the January 6 pipe bomb case after nearly five years of investigation.⁴
Real bomb threats are increasing across the country — from the Michigan ISIS plot targeting Halloween to Manhattan IEDs found on subway tracks.⁵
Every threat must be treated as legitimate until proven otherwise.
That's the reality of the post-9/11 world we live in.
Johnson's two words triggered a multi-agency response involving the FBI, ATF, state fire investigators, and bomb technicians because law enforcement can't afford to guess wrong about weapons of mass destruction.
The massive response to Johnson's claim shows why making false statements about bombs carries such severe penalties.
¹ Haines City Police Department, "Man Arrested After 'Dirty Bomb' Claim," Press Release, December 6, 2025.
² U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, "Backgrounder on Dirty Bombs," Federal Publication.
³ Florida Statutes 790.166, "Hoax Weapon of Mass Destruction," 2025.
⁴ CNN, "FBI arrests Virginia man in Jan. 6 pipe bomb case," December 4, 2025.
⁵ U.S. Department of Justice, "New York Man Charged For Making IEDs in Manhattan," July 22, 2025.
