Deputies have charged Steve Michael Droter, 45 of Abingdon, in connection to the bomb threat at Prince of Peace Church.
On Tuesday, September 24 at 12:41 p.m., Deputies assigned to the Southern Precinct of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Prince of Peace Church in the 2600 block of Willoughby Beach Road in Edgewood for the report of a suspicious vehicle. Upon arrival, deputies located a box truck occupied by Droter. After deputies made contact with Droter, he made statements that led deputies to believe he may have had explosives in his vehicle. Out of an abundance of caution, Deputies immediately established a perimeter, evacuated the church, and residences in close proximity to the vehicle, and closed Willoughby Beach Road to traffic. Investigators with the Office of the State Fire Marshall and Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms responded to the scene and cleared the vehicle. No explosives were located.
As the investigation progressed, it was determined Droter had rented the box truck earlier in the month, and had not yet returned it to the company, leading to them reporting it as stolen.
Droter was taken into custody and transported to the Harford County Detention Center. He is charged with Threat of Mass Violence, Theft $25,000 to under $100,000, unauthorized removal of motor vehicle, and vehicle/rented: fail return. He is currently awaiting his initial appearance before a District Court Commissioner.