An Arkansas man who threatened to blow up a car in the parking lot of the Pentagon will appear in Federal Court Tuesday.
Pentagon Police officers say Matthew Dmitri Richardson was standing next to a car outside the nation’s central military complex in Alexandria, Va., where he was attempting to light a piece of cloth that had been inserted into a car’s gas tank. That’s where he was approached by a Pentagon cop Monday.
“After the officer approached Richardson, the defendant allegedly told the officer he was going to ‘blow this vehicle up’ and ‘himself,’” according to a memo from the Department of Justice.
When that officer attempted to arrest Richardson, the 19-year-old man sprinted through the parking lot, dashed across a highway on foot and scaled a fence that surrounds Arlington National Cemetery, He was arrested outside a memorial to Gen. Robert E. Lee.
Court documents reportedly allege Richardson was in possession of a cigarette lighter and gloves when he was apprehended. Police also said Richardson was carrying court documents from an incident last week in which he allegedly assaulted a Virginia law enforcement officer.
The car he allegedly intended to blow up in the Pentagon’s north parking lot is registered to active duty service member who claims to have no ties to Richardson.
“Richardson is charged with maliciously attempting to damage and destroy by means of fire, a vehicle used in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce,” the DOJ reports.
He’s facing a possible prison sentence of between five and 20 years.
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