BELLA VISTA, Ark. — A Bella Vista man is being held on a $1 million bond in Benton County after being found with six homemade pipe bombs, according to court documents.
Lawrence Hickman, 52, was booked into the Benton County jail on Dec. 21 on six counts of criminal possession of explosive materials or a destructive device.
The arrest affidavit says detectives with the Bella Vista Police Department (BVPD) were called out to Hickman's residence on Dec. 9 on a harassment call. Once on the scene, the reporting party advised police that she had discovered a bottle of chloroform in a dresser drawer.
The affidavit said someone on the scene told police there were pipe bombs on the property. The Bentonville Police Department Bomb Squad was contacted about the situation and neighbors were evacuated for safety reasons. Police found six bombs in total, each of which was X-rayed and found to be live.
The woman who called 911 said she didn't know where Hickman was.
A neighbor told police that Hickman wanted to travel by kayak to the Philippines and that his plan was to travel to Vancouver, Alaska, through the Bearing Sea and down to the Philippines where his wife was. The neighbor reportedly told police the bombs were for sharks and pirates, and that Hickman had liquor for the Russians.
The neighbor went on to tell police about various rapes and kidnappings Hickman had allegedly committed.
On Dec. 12, an officer with BVPD returned to the neighbor's residence with members of ATF, FBI, and U.S. Marshalls.
The neighbor told police that he was with Hickman the day that he left and that his vehicle was packed with multiple inflatable kayaks, a flare gun, a bow and arrows, military rations, 15 to 20 two-liter bottles of Coca-Cola, Jim Beam, and two teddy bears that he bought for his wife to be his "co-pilots" on the trip, according to the affidavit.
The neighbor's roommate told police that she told Hickman not to take the bombs.
The affidavit said another neighbor was interviewed by police and spoke to Hickman on the phone, putting him on speaker phone. According to the detective, Hickman said he was at a harbor and couldn't take off because it was choppy and windy.
On Dec. 13, police were advised that Hickman was arrested in Pacific County, Wash. The affidavit says that an AR-style rifle, a bolt action rifle, a pistol, a compound bow, bags of black powder, and ammunition were found with him.
"It appears Lawrence was indeed attempting to flee the country based on phone conversations I overheard," the affidavit said. "Based on witness statements, Lawrence was fleeing the country because of his upcoming trial in Texas."
Hickman has an arraignment scheduled for Jan. 8, 2024.
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