TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa police say the driver behind an explosives threat that shut down a stretch of Dale Mabry Highway on Thursday evening had fallen asleep behind the wheel and was woken up by officers before he claimed to have a bomb in his car.

The backstory:

The Tampa Police Department says officers responded to the intersection of N. Dale Mabry Hwy. and Columbus Dr. shortly after 6:30 p.m. after getting reports of a sleeping driver impeding the flow of traffic.

Police say they found Jeremy Johnson, 30, asleep inside the car, which was still running with the gear in reverse.

After officers woke him up, he refused to identify himself or get out of the car, according to TPD.

Investigators also say they saw drug paraphernalia "in plain view," which Johnson picked up and smoked ou

See Full Page