A suspect who was allegedly caught with an explosive device during a traffic stop in Stephens County Friday night has now been charged by GBI.
Stephens County Sheriff Rusty Fulbright told Now Habersham on Monday that Sarah Elizabeth Hill, 30, of Toccoa was stopped in the Ingles/Belk parking lot near South State Bank for suspicion of driving on a suspended license.
Fulbright said the homemade device, rigged together with PVC pipe, explosive powder and a fuse, was not intended to be used to target a place or person. The device was located during a search of the vehicle, he said.
“From what I understand, (the suspect) was using these for around the first of the year for New Year’s,” Fulbright said. “She just didn’t realize that one was still in the car. Unfortunately, it got her a felony through the GBI.”
Hill was charged with driving on a suspended license and felony possession of an explosive device.
Multiple agencies responded to the traffic stop on Friday, Feb. 7, before authorities were able to “safely contain and detonate the device.”
Police say no other explosive devices were located in the vehicle, and the scene was determined to be safe.
