WELLINGTON, Fla. (AP) — A Florida construction worker called in a bomb threat to a water treatment facility to get a day off work, authorities said.

Richard Hamilton, 36, was arrested Thursday and charged with making a bomb threat, the Palm Beach Post reported.

More than 20 people evacuated Wellington’s water treatment plant shortly after the threatening 911 call around 7 a.m. Thursday, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Hamilton had been working with a construction crew at the facility and later told deputies that he made the threat because he was having a bad day and didn’t want to work.

The sheriff’s bomb squad, a bomb dog and drones searched Hamilton’s vehicle and the surrounding area and found no evidence of a bomb, the sheriff’s office said. Wellington’s water service was not affected, village officials said.

Hamilton was being held on $10,000 bond. Jail records didn’t list an attorney.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox