Richard Gootee

richard.gootee@courierpress.com

An Evansville mother was arrested after police and school officials said she threatened to blow up Washington Middle School earlier this week.

Authorities identified the woman as Billie Jo Bonner, 39. She was arrested on Tuesday.

According to the probable cause affidavit against her, Bonner was upset that morning because her son was not being allowed to return to Washington Middle School until she met with school officials. Such a meeting was scheduled for later Tuesday afternoon, but Bonner had conveyed to her parent advocate that if the her son was not allowed back into the school, she would "blow up (the school)," investigators wrote in the affidavit.

That advocate then passed on the alleged threat to school officials. According to investigators, principal Michele Branson contacted Bonner and tried to address the situation, but Bonner reportedly was belligerent during the conversation and said that she would not follow through with her threat as long as she got her way. Branson then canceled the in-person meeting because she did not want Bonner on school property.

Bonner also called Branson back and left a threatening voicemail, school officials reportedly told investigators.

Police located Bonner at her home and questioned her about the allegations, according to the affidavit. Bonner reportedly acknowledged she made the threat but said she only did so because she was overwhelmed and irritated.

Bonner faces a preliminary charge of intimidation, a level 6 felony. The affidavit does not specify why Bonner's son was not allowed in school or how long he had been kept out.

In a statement, Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. spokesman Jason Woebkenberg said school officials worked to ensure the safety of students.

"Because of the nature of the threat, the fact we were in contact with the individual, and the swift response of EPD, students were at no time in danger," he said.