Man arrested after dummy bomb shuts down FM 2920 for hours in northern Harris County

A man was arrested and charged with planting a fake bomb that caused a major road closure in northern Harris County.

The August 15 incident prompted an extensive investigation by local law enforcement, including the Harris County Sheriff's Office Bomb Disposal Squad.

According to authorities, 26-year-old Travis Austin Alexander was filmed placing a suspected explosive device in the median of the 4700 block of FM 2920 Road in Spring. The device, which appeared to be a bomb, prompted a significant response from multiple agencies, including the Harris County Hazmat Team, ATF, Harris County Fire Marshal's Office, Spring Fire Department and ESD 11.

The suspicious item, described as a yellow detergent container attached to a clear plastic bottle filled with an unknown substance, had a fuse-like stem protruding and a small American flag attached to it. Bomb disposal and hazardous materials teams conducted a four-hour investigation, using robots and other resources to x-ray the device and test its liquid contents. The device was ultimately determined to be non-flammable and non-explosive, but not before causing significant disruption to the area.

RELATED: Suspicious incident that shut down FM 2920 in northern Harris County for hours is 'no cause for concern'; roads reopened

The incident caused FM 2920 to be closed in both directions during rush hour, affecting thousands of drivers who were forced to find alternate routes. Authorities believe the device was intentionally designed to resemble an explosive device in order to set off alarms and provoke a response from emergency responders.

On August 17, Jennifer Martinez, sergeant of the 4th District of the Harris County Constable's Office, recognized Alexander from a previous traffic stop. After identifying him using his Texas identification card, officers located and questioned him.

During the interview, Alexander admitted to building and placing the item, but denied trying to provoke a reaction. He stated that he often “roams” the area and was unsure why he placed the device.

Based on Alexander's previous behavior and the nature of the incident, law enforcement believes the item was planted as a dummy bomb. Alexander was subsequently arrested and charged.

The roads have since reopened and the incident was resolved without any injuries. However, the incident is an indication of how seriously the authorities take potential threats to public safety.

SEE ALSO: Houston murder suspect barricades himself in Chicago restaurant after two-month manhunt

KPRC 2 has been trying to obtain Alexander's mug shot.