Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By TYLER RALEY | Staff Writer

A Shelby County man has been arrested and charged in connection with a case on June 18 that saw law enforcement locate incendiary devices along South Shades Crest Road.

Jerry Lee Clarke was booked into the Shelby County Jail on Thursday, June 26 and was charged with two counts of harassment, one count of reckless endangerment, one count unlawful manufacturing of a destructive device in the first degree and two counts of possession, manufacturing, transportation and distribution of a destructive device.

On Wednesday, June 18 at approximately 12:47 p.m., the Criminal Investigative unit and the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force carried out a court order for a resident of the property at 5159 South Shades Crest Road, Bessemer.

Several units arrived to the scene, including the Helena Police Department, Hoover Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

While looking at the property, investigators noticed what they believed to be an incendiary device. The area was quickly cleared and South Shades Crest Road near Timberlake Drive was closed.

Law enforcement then contacted the multi-jurisdictional explosive ordinance team, and authorities began to conduct an investigation on the property with a search warrant that was acquired prior to the use of the court order.

Lt. Debbie Sumrall of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office stated that there were numerous items found that appeared to be incendiaries, however, all of them were deemed as being safe.

The army joined the scene later due to the number of devices that were discovered and removed them from the premises. Sumrall ensured those in the area that there was nothing to be concerned about at the time.

Clarke has now been identified as the man authorities were serving the court order on, as they were carrying out a mental health pickup and executing the search warrant on the home.

Clarke’s six total charges in his arrest add up to him being held on a $403,000 bond.

More information on this case will be released as it becomes available at Shelbycountyreporter.com.