The Pilot Travel Center off Exit 11 in Williamsburg has been evacuated by police as they attempt to investigate a threat involving the business.
Williamsburg Police Assistant Chief Bobby Freeman told the News Journal that a report was made to police Monday evening that someone had threatened to blow up the Pilot Travel Center. The alleged threat originated with an inmate at the Whitley County Detention Center.
The inmate, who allegedly made the threat, has been an inmate for approximately three to four weeks and is from Michigan, though police could not share the person’s identity at this time. That inmate allegedly recently got into a fight with another inmate inside the jail, who has a family member that works at the Pilot Travel Center.
According to Freeman, the inmate, who has a family member that works at the business, learned of the threat and contacted his family member, who then contacted the manager on duty, who then contacted police.
Freeman said that police do not believe the threat to be credible, but are taking extra precautions to ensure the community’s safety.
First responders from several agencies were on scene Monday evening assisting WPD, including: the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, Kentucky State Police, Williamsburg Fire Department, Corbin Fire Department and Whitley County Emergency Management.
When the News Journal was at the scene, a bomb squad was en route to the business to perform a sweep on the location.
For more information on the situation, see the Aug. 21 edition of the News Journal.
