Man charged after claiming he had explosives at Trump rally in Michigan
The man who allegedly claimed he had C4 explosives in his car and sped through a security checkpoint at Donald Trump's rally in Michigan, over the weekend pleaded not guilty to charges against him on Monday.
Steven William Nauta has been charged with making a false threat of terrorism, possession of bombs with unlawful intent, fleeing a police officer and resisting or obstructing a police officer, according to the Walker Police Department. He has pleaded not guilty to each count, according to a court official.
A bond of $1 million was set for Nauta during his arraignment Monday, according to a court official, and was placed under house arrest.
In the complaint against Nauta obtained by CNN, prosecutors allege that on Sept. 27, he "approached a traffic point" and "held a bottle to police and stated that it was 'C4' explosive and that it was the 'real deal.'"
The complaint says he sped past the traffic point, disobeyed commands by officers to stop and, when he finally stopped after being chased by police, "removed bags of fertilizer from his vehicle and threw them on the ground to make it appear that they were explosives."
Nauta told law enforcement, the complaint says, that "he intended to make officers, and others, believe that he had explosives."
The Walter Police Department says no device was found and no one was injured. Police say Nauta did not make it to the business's parking area, where the event was held.
"We are grateful for the efficient teamwork that ended this incident quickly, safely, and without interruption to the event or unneeded panic to its attendees," police said in a Facebook post on Monday.
The charges against Nauta note that the fertilizer he allegedly removed from his vehicle can be used to make explosives.
Nauta's plea of not guilty comes on the same day that Ryan Wesley Routh, who allegedly sat outside of Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, with a rifle while Trump was golfing, pleaded not guilty to charges against him, including attempting to assassinate a political candidate.