Suspected illegal immigrant's false bomb threat closes South Carolina highway

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A suspected illegal immigrant was arrested Thursday in South Carolina after authorities said he made a false bomb threat during a traffic stop, ultimately leading to the closure of a stretch of the Interstate 85 for almost five hours.

Ahmad Jamal Khamees Alhendi, 28, was stopped around 2:45 p.m. by state transportation police for having a missing license plate on his tractor-trailer, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) .

That's when Alhendi told a police officer there was an explosive device inside the SUV.

Ahmad Jamal Khamees Alhendi was arrested in South Carolina after officials said he made a false bomb threat during a traffic stop. (Greenville County Detention Center)

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All six lanes of I-85 were subsequently closed as the threat was investigated by the Greenville County Sheriff's Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED ) and the FBI.

The closure, which took place near Mile Marker 44, caused long delays and disrupted traffic.

The 18-wheeler was eventually extricated and all lanes of I-85 were reopened around 7:40 p.m.

Alhendi appeared in court on Friday and was charged with transmitting false information about a bomb threat, breach of the peace of a serious and aggravated nature and not having a driver's license.

A police car blocks a section of I-85 near Mile Marker 44 and White Horse Road in Greenville County due to a bomb threat on January 2, 2025. (ALEX HICKS JR./PERSON / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

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He was given a total bond of $20,238 for all three charges and sent to the Greenville County Detention Center, Fox Carolina reports.

A spokesperson for the Greenville County Detention Center told Fox News Digital that Alhendi was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a notice of detention of a potential illegal immigrant who could be expelled from the country.