HOT SPRINGS -- Police evacuated and blocked off a portion of Valley Street for several hours Monday after an employee of a business in the area was found in possession of a live World War I-era artillery round.
Officers responded to Cobb Recycling, 203 Valley St., around 8 a.m. in reference to a possible live artillery round on the property.
"We responded to a call about a possibly live round of ammunition in a truck," Hot Springs police officer Joey Williams said. "We got here and confirmed it was live and called the Air Force EOD [Explosive Ordnance Disposal] to assist."
The 19th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville was called to the scene to remove the live round and dispose of it properly, as several Hot Springs Fire Department companies were placed on standby in the immediate area.
Albert Aguilar, an employee of Cobb's Recycling, said he obtained the shrapnel round, a 1907-era 75 mm Scovill artillery shell with a timed fuse, through a friend who knew he collects different types of military antiques.
"I knew it was an artillery shell, but I didn't know it was live," Aguilar said.
Aguilar said he had already contacted the Little Rock Air Force Base concerning the ammunition and was looking at having it properly preserved before the incident occurred.
He stored the artillery shell in his truck and went about his daily routine. Once at work, his boss became aware one of his employees had brought a possibly live artillery shell to work and contacted police.
"I would prefer to see it preserved, but they are doing what they feel needs to be done," Aguilar said. "It is what it is."
Williams said the artillery shell was taken to the Garland County landfill and "disposed of properly."
State Desk on 09/19/2017