Monday’s morning drive through downtown Inverness came with a jolt as deputies shut down a block of West Dampier Street to check out a suspicious package. The closure, which stretched between North Pine Avenue and North Seminole Avenue, sent cars onto detours while public-safety crews checked the item. Traffic was allowed back through only after the package had been examined.
Sheriff's Office On The Scene
Deputies with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office said they were investigating a suspicious package along West Dampier Street and shut the roadway between North Pine Avenue and North Seminole Avenue as a precaution, according to the Citrus County Sheriff's Office. Drivers were urged to steer clear and use alternate routes while the area was secured, and traffic was routed around the block until the package could be checked.
Bomb Team Clears Package
The agency’s bomb team inspected the item and “confirmed the contents of the package were safe,” and deputies fully reopened the roadway at 9:25 a.m. Monday, per the Citrus County Sheriff's Office. The county’s bomb unit is staffed by trained specialists who respond to suspicious-device calls and work alongside patrol deputies during safety sweeps, according to the Citrus County Chronicle.
Where It Happened
West Dampier Street sits inside the downtown Inverness grid. City public-works documents list W. Dampier as a short residential stretch that runs to North Seminole Avenue, putting Monday’s closure near the city’s Main Street area, according to a City of Inverness bid notice. The temporary shutdown disrupted neighborhood commutes and briefly slowed morning traffic for nearby homes and businesses.
Public Safety And What To Do
Officials told residents to avoid the block while crews worked and to follow the posted detours. Federal guidance on suspicious packages advises that if you come across an unattended or questionable item, do not touch or move it, clear the immediate area and call 911, according to NIST.
