Woman who made bomb threat to avoid $14 parking fee gets probation

A judge ordered probation Thursday for a woman who made a bomb threat to avoid a $14 parking fee at a garage near the Regional Justice Center.

Jessica Vazquez, 34, pleaded guilty in September to a count of making a bomb threat. Under the terms of her plea agreement, prosecutors agreed not to oppose probation with a mental health court program as a condition of probation.

In June, Vasquez parked in a garage near the courthouse and, upon learning that she would have to pay a $14 fee, told parking staff there was a bomb in the area. An arrest report said she also told an attendant there was a bomb in her vehicle.

“I have a bomb, I have a bomb, there’s a bomb in the area,” a parking enforcement officer reported her saying.

As it turned out, there was no bomb.

But police responded, closing stretches of Third and Fourth streets. Courthouse visitors waited for hours to access their cars while law enforcement investigated.

Vazquez said nothing about the crime in court Thursday but thanked District Judge Christy Craig for the opportunity she was given.

Craig ordered her to complete mental health court. She also ordered a two- to five-year suspended sentence that Vazquez may be ordered to serve if she does not comply with probation terms.

“I believe it’s an appropriate remedy for an individual who is clearly suffering from mental health issues,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Schwartzer said after court, noting that Vazquez had a minimal criminal record.

Contact Noble Brigham at [email protected].