Hearing for suspect in ferry bombing scare is expected in February | UPDATE

By BEN WATANABE
South Whidbey Record Sports, South Whidbey School District, South Whidbey Fire/EMS
January 31, 2012 · 4:11 PM

The man who allegedly made a bomb threat will have his court date in mid-February, a deputy prosecutor for Snohomish County said Tuesday.

Michael William Harsh, 32, was arrested after stepping off the M/V Cathlamet in Mukilteo. Authorities claim Harsh, a former Langley resident, was heard talking about a bomb after the ferry sailed from Clinton on the 8:30 a.m. run Thursday, Jan. 26.

Harsh made his first appearance Friday in Snohomish County Superior Court. His bail, originally set at $25,000, was reduced to $10,000 and he remains in custody at the Snohomish County Jail in Everett.

Snohomish County Deputy Prosecutor Ed Stemler said officers put a standard $25,000 bail in place until the suspect appears before a judge. Stemler did not attend Harsh's bail setting last week.

Harsh, an Everett resident, had until 5 p.m. Tuesday to post bail. Stemler also said his office had until the end of the day to file the charging papers.

"I'm likely to file a charge into district court to hold the bail in place," Stemler said early Tuesday.

An arraignment hearing for a felony charge of making a bomb threat is expected to follow in mid-February.

Harsh allegedly admitted talking about sinking a ferry to detectives with the Washington State Patrol, but also said he was bipolar and had not taken his prescription medication in recent weeks.

 

Contact South Whidbey Record Sports, South Whidbey School District, South Whidbey Fire/EMS Ben Watanabe at bwatanabe@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360-221-5300.

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