Arrest made in bomb threat at courthouse

The seventh bomb threat at the Del Norte County Courthouse in less than four months resulted in an arrest Tuesday.

The California Highway Patrol arrested Angela Bates, 33, of Crescent City at 4:10 p.m. Tuesday in front of the courthouse on suspicion of a false bomb threat, a felony charge that carries a punishment of up to one year in county jail.

The threat was made at 2:10 p.m. by phone. Officials were able to connect the phone call to Bates, said District Attorney’s Office Investigator A.C. Field.

Field said he was informed that Bates had been in the courthouse earlier Tuesday before the bomb threat was made.

The DA’s Office is currently preparing charges against Bates for an attempted burglary incident in November, Field said.

“Countless man-hours have been expended in ensuring the safety of the public after repeated false threats,” said District Attorney Jon Alexander in a press release. Clearing the courthouse after a threat causes a “significant drain on governmental resources,” Alexander said.

The CHP is the lead agency investigating the threats on the courthouse — and the investigation is ongoing.

“Numerous investigative techniques” have been used in the wake of the recent threats, including ones that led to Bates’ arrest, said Lt. David Peterson of the CHP in the press release.

Bates’ arrest was a result of collaborative investigative efforts involving CHP, the staff of the Del Norte Superior Court, the DA’s Office, and the Crescent City Police Department, the press release said.

Reach Adam Spencer at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it