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A Utah State University student was arrested after authorities say he contaminated his dorm with hydrochloric acid gas, forcing mass evacuations, just hours after being questioned by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Joshua Peter Jager, 20, was arrested Thursday night and is charged with causing a catastrophe recklessly and disorderly conduct, according to an indictment.
USU authorities responded to a fire alarm just before 7:45 p.m. Thursday at Mountain View Tower and found the entire first floor covered in a vaporous substance, later found to be hydrochloric acid gas, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in 1st District Court.
Utah State University (Utah State University)
He was then wanted by the FBI and a certified peace officer to cease using chemicals and if he found any other chemicals in his dorm, to contact the police so they could be properly disposed of, according to court documents.
During the mass evacuation, which happened just six hours after the FBI questioning, Jager admitted to setting off the alarm and said he found more chemicals that he was attempting to “neutralize.”
Cache County District Court Judge Angela Fonnesbeck granted Jagger $2,500 bail Friday morning, according to a court order.
Everyone who was forced to leave the dorm had to walk through the gas, causing a “contamination issue,” according to the affidavit.
FBI agent in a jacket brandishing the bureau’s insignia. (iStock)
An initial estimate of clean up and restoration was approximately $10,000 to $20,000, according to court documents. Labor and overtime costs will add “substantially” to the expense.
In a statement released on Friday, the university said the investigation is ongoing and “other charges” may be added.Â
“USU Housing found spaces in other USU buildings and on an Aggie Shuttle bus to keep student residents out of the elements while they waited to determine if decontamination was needed or to be let back into their room around midnight,” according to the statement. “No other students needed to be decontaminated.”
Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Krystin Deschamps sent a message to Mountain View Tower residents saying the CARE Office is available to help with academic issues caused by the evacuation.