OREM, Utah — Police arrested a man Sunday after he allegedly made a scene at an IHOP restaurant, including bomb threats, political ramblings, and throwing things out of his car.
Eric Jonathan Paul Lackey, 43, was arrested on suspicion of nine different offenses, ranging from threat of terrorism to driving under the influence to littering.
Customers and employees told police that Lackey pulled into the IHOP parking lot, drove in circles, then parked across two spots and partially in the road. He then walked up to the restaurant, tore down a "closed" sign, then started bothering customers and employees by talking about his political views. After being told to leave, they said he went out to his car and started throwing things out of it, into the parking lot. The witnesses said he was shirtless and "clearly drunk."
When police arrived, they said Lackey was screaming and "babbl[ing]" about Charlie Kirk, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, and "corrupt police." He said multiple times that he had a bomb in his car and would blow up the building and kill the officers, according to the arrest report.
Officers said that as he was taken into custody, he continued "screaming and yelling loudly about inane babble." They searched his vehicle and said they found THC vapes; however, they did not state whether any explosives were found.
Lackey was booked into the Utah County Jail and was ordered by a judge to be held without bail.
