Sapulpa Pipe Bomb Scare Lands Father & Son In Jail

Police arrested two Creek County men early Wednesday in connection with live pipe bombs found in a car parked outside the Creek County courthouse in downtown Sapulpa Tuesday afternoon.

They are identified as Berry Nichols, 53, of Mounds and Christopher Nichols, 23, of Sapulpa. They are father and son, court records show.

Police say it all started when a woman left the courthouse and went to Ford Expedition. She told police the tires on her car had been slashed and then she saw what she believed to be pipe bombs inside the car.  

Police initially blocked off several blocks around the courthouse and called the Tulsa Police bomb squad along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.  

Both departments confirmed there were two live IEDs inside the woman's SUV. Police say they were made of PVC pipes filled with explosive powder and BBs.

Sapulpa Police said after looking at surveillance video of where the SUV was parked and talking to witnesses, police identified two persons of interest and a older model Chevy pickup the two men may have been using.  

5/23/2017 Related Story: Sapulpa Police Find 2 Live Explosive Devices In Vehicle

An affidavit states video showed a blue pickup with a white hood circling the courthouse parking lot then parking near the woman's Ford. Christopher Nichols enter the vehicle with a "white item" in his hand, records show.

At around 9 p.m. officers located that truck outside a home in the 1500 block of North Main in Sapulpa. Police found Christopher Nichols inside the home and took him into custody. Christopher Nichols admitted to getting into the woman's vehicle but told police he only took change from the Ford, the affidavit states.

Police said they found PVC pipe at his home similar to that used in the pipe bombs.

Police located Berry Nichols at a home in Mounds and arrested him. They say he admitted to buying the items needed to make the pipe bombs and putting them together with Christopher Nichols.

He also said it was a "dumb thing" to do and that they were trying to scare the victim, according to police.

In a news release, police said Berry Nichols had targeted the same woman before and was charged with shooting with intent to kill in that case.

Police say both men were booked into the Creek County Jail on complaints including conspiracy, burglary as well as the manufacture, possession and placement of bombs in a motor vehicle.

Captain Jamie P. Noe Sr. of the Sapulpa Police Department said they are fortunate and thankful no one was injured and the community is safe.

"I would like to thank the men and women who responded to this incident," he said. "Their actions are an example of dedication and professionalism and we are proud to have been able to so quickly apprehend the people in this case."

"The Sapulpa Police Department would like to thank the Creek County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms,  the Tulsa Police Department as well as the Sapulpa Fire Department for their efforts," he said.