A truck driver claimed there was a bomb in his tractor-trailer during a traffic stop on Interstate 85 in Greenville County on Thursday, causing authorities to shut down all six lanes of the busy highway for several hours, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety.
The incident began at approximately 2:45 p.m. on Jan. 2, 2025, when a South Carolina State Transport Police officer stopped a tractor-trailer for having a missing license plate on the trailer. During the stop, the driver, 28-year-old Ahmad Jamal Khamees Alhendi of Oak Lawn, Illinois, told the officer there was an explosive device inside the vehicle.
Authorities quickly responded, and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the FBI conducted an extensive investigation of the vehicle. As a precaution, all lanes of I-85 were shut down while the threat was assessed.
After several hours, the tractor-trailer was cleared of any explosives, and the highway was reopened at approximately 7:40 p.m., bringing relief to commuters stranded in the gridlock.
Alhendi was taken into custody and is currently held at the Greenville County Detention Center. He faces multiple charges, including breach of peace of a high and aggravated nature, conveying false information about a bomb threat, and operating or permitting an unregistered vehicle.
The charges allege Alhendi violated South Carolina Code Section 16-23-750 by making a false bomb threat “concerning an attempt or alleged attempt being made or to be made to kill, injure, or intimidate any person or to damage or destroy any building or other real or personal property by means of an explosive, incendiary, or destructive device.”
The tractor-trailer involved in the incident is registered to Globe Transportation, based in Illinois. Authorities have not disclosed a motive for Alhendi’s actions.
No injuries were reported during the incident, and law enforcement officials praised the coordination between agencies in resolving the situation without harm.
