RAWLINS (WNE) — A Rawlins man who possessed a pipe bomb and held law enforcement officers at bay outside of his locked van was taken into custody on Dec. 13. 

At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, a Rawlins police sergeant observed a conversion van in the industrial area on the east end of town. 

The sergeant recognized the vehicle as belonging to Virgil Hubert Matthews of Rawlins, who had an outstanding arrest warrant for bond revocation. 

A traffic stop was initiated on Mahoney Street and Airport Road. 

Upon the sergeant’s approach of the vehicle, Matthews locked the vehicle’s doors and refused to exit the vehicle. The sergeant observed Matthews holding what appeared to be an improvised explosive device (pipe bomb) and a lighter.

Additional units from the Rawlins Police Department, the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, the Wyoming Highway Patrol and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation responded to assist. First responders closed the surrounding area. 

The Sweetwater County Joint SWAT Team and Sweetwater County Bomb Squad also responded to the scene, and a hostage negotiator from the RPD began communicating with Matthews. 

Matthews was ultimately taken into custody and transported to the Carbon County Detention Center where he was charged with making terroristic threats, interfering with a peace officer and intimidation with an explosive device. 

Material was recovered from Matthews’ van which is believed to have been used to replicate an explosive device. 

The RPD does not believe there is further risk to the public.