Oak Harbor man charged with making bomb threats at area schools, including Waite

4/25/2014

PORT CLINTON -- Authorities have charged a 22-year-old Oak Harbor man with making false bomb threats at schools this month, including Port Clinton, Oak Harbor, Sandusky, and even Toledo earlier today.

Charles L. Tingler, 22, faces one count of inducing panic for the incidents that started on April 1 and spanned until today at Waite High School in East Toledo. More charges are likely, authorities said.

At a news conference in Port Clinton today, police said Mr. Tingler allegedly use a phone app to disguise his voice and the number of his cell when he called the schools. During the calls, police said the suspect either said a device was about to go off in the school building or that a man wearing a trench coat was walking in the school with a bomb.

Mr. Tingler, who authorities said has admitted to making the fake calls, remains lodged at the Ottawa County jail.

He allegedly told authorities that the calls started after he spotted a student on social media expressing a desire to get out of class. They said he admitted that it went too far after the first call.

The suspect's father, Charles Tingler, Sr., said his son works at Walmart in Port Clinton. Mr. Tingler, Sr. said he was shocked when police showed up at the home he shares with his son about noon today and said they wanted to take him in for questioning.

“I don't know why he would do something like this,” his father said, noting that his son is in deep trouble now.

During the latest incident today at Waite, students were ushered outside and had to stand under bleachers as authorities investigated that call.