Man Arrested after Threatening to Set Off Bomb at Kent State

A Colorado man is in the Portage County jail today after reportedly threatening to set off a bomb at the Kent State University main campus.

The Portage County Sheriff's Office arrested Louis J. Koleszar, 58, with a last known address of 721 Grand Avenue, Glenwood Springs, CO, Tuesday.

Authorities acted on a top from an area cab company, a driver for which picked Koleszar up at the Akron Canton Airport.

The cab driver contacted her company dispatcher and said Koleszar asked to be taken to Kent State where he said he planned to set off an explosive.

The cab company contacted local authorities, which included Kent Police and Kent State Police. The cab driver took Interstate 76 into Portage County from the airport area and exited at S.R. 44 in Rootstown, OH, where deputies arrested Koleszar.

Portage County Sheriff's Lt. Greg Johnson said they did not find evidence of any explosive device or material on Koleszar when he was arrested.

"We weren’t sure if he was meeting someone, so we stopped him before he got to campus," Johnson said.

Koleszar has been charged with making false alarms, which is a third-degree felony due to the threat involving a weapon of mass destruction.

Kent State spokesperson Eric Mansfield said the Kent campus, which is on summer break, was not put on lock down.

Mansfield could not comment on whether or not Koleszar ever attended or worked for Kent State or if any family members ever attended the university.

Johnson said Koleszar does have family in Nelson Township, OH, but investigators continue working to determine if there is a connection between the Colorado man and Ohio's second largest public university.

"There's  nothing to tie him in to Kent State at this time," Johnson said.

Koleszar will be arraigned on the charge Wednesday.