No charges were laid after a man tried to cross the Ambassador Bridge with inactive grenades, shutting down Canada bound traffic on the bridge for seven hours.
The Canadian Border Service Agency contacted the Windsor Police Service around 9 a.m. Monday after agents found two grenades during a vehicle inspection. The grenades were submerged in an unknown white powdery substance.
The immediate area of concern was evacuated and the driver and vehicle were contained by the CBSA. Several roads were also closed and US-bound traffic was redirected to the Wyandotte Street entrance of the bridge.
The Windsor Police Emergency Disposal Unit attended the call and used a robot to obtain samples of the powder for testing. The powder did not turn out to be hazardous.
Another member of the EDU went to the vehicle and was able to safely secure the grenades. They were inspected and found to be inert. Most of the area remained closed until around 4 p.m.
Investigators determined there was no intent to cause harm or use the grenades. Since the grenades were inactive they were not subject to any criminal charges.
"We would like to thank the public for your patience in this matter. All necessary precautions were taken for the safety of the community and everyone involved during this incident. We would like to thank the CBSA for their collaborative efforts in this matter and commend them for their actions during the incident which ensured the safety of community members, travellers, employees and the single busiest international border crossing in North America," said Constable Talya Natyshak with the Windsor Police Service.
The driver was identified as an American citizen. He was turned over to the US Customs and Border Protection Agency without incident. The Windsor Police Service cleared the scene around 6:30 p.m.
