Man charged after Toyota Battery Manufacturing plant bomb threat

Here’s a photo of the Toyota Battery Manufacturing site from this summer. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record)

LIBERTY – An arrest was made following what was determined to be a false bomb threat directed at the under-construction Toyota Battery Manufacturing plant.

Randolph County Sheriff’s Office announced that Michael John Poirier, 38, of Elon is facing felony charges for a false bomb report.

The threat came Monday afternoon directed at the facility on Julian Airport Road. Poirier was arrested at his home and he’s being held on a $30,000 bond, the sheriff’s office said.

A statement from Toyota said action was taken based on the potential security issue.

“Employees were immediately evacuated and the suspect has since been arrested,” the statement said. “The safety and security of our team members is a top priority and we thank the local authorities for their quick response and support. While the threat turned out to be a hoax, we will continue cooperating with law enforcement on this matter.”